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Western Hemlock: A Shady Tree

Western Hemlock (tsuga heterophylla) is one of the most abundant conifers in the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. These trees have high shade tolerance making them a key species in forests that have reached the final stages of succession. After 600 to 1,000 years of forest succession, sun-loving species such as Douglas fir and sitka spruce are slowly replaced by hemlock trees that originally starting growing as an understory species in the shade. Western hemlock grows well in organic-rich soils. In fact, rotting logs, snags and bark on old trees often serve as a growth substrate for these trees. Western hemlock has the densest foliage of conifers in the Pacific Northwest which results in dark, shady forests where few other types of trees can grow.

Top photos: Examples of old growth western hemlock in ancient forests.

Second photo down: The dense and shady forests of western hemlock.

Third photo down: The foliage of a young hemlock and the bark of an old growth hemlock tree.

Fourth photo down: Mistletoe broom that results in these creepy looking branches is typical of old growth western hemlock.

Fifth photos down: Young hemlock trees that have sprouted directly from an old growth Douglas fir and a snag.

Plant of the Day

Sunday 7 July 2019

Growing on the woodland floor of New Brunswick, Canada, was the rhizomatous herbaceous perennial Cornus canadensis (creeping dogwood, bunchberry, dwarf cornel). The flowers are white bracts surrounding greenish flowers in late spring and early summer and these are followed by red berries.