Canada hemlock

Tsuga canadensis (SOO-guh ka-na-DEN-sis)

Family: Pinaceae Native Canopy (>40 ft)

Canopy (>40 ft)Native

Eastern hemlock is a woody, needled evergreen tree in the Pinaceae (pine) family. It is native to eastern and central Canada and the United States. In North Carolina, it is found primarily in the mountains and in a small area located in Piedmont. Eastern hemlock needs moist but well-drained, somewhat acidic soils in sun to part shade. It grows best in areas with cooler summers and doesn't tolerate drought. Trees can endure pruning as a hedge but look best unpruned. Propagate from seeds gathered from cones just beginning to open; provide moist chilling for 100 days before planting. A beautiful conical evergreen with drooping branches and tiny cones, the healthy eastern hemlock makes a lovely specimen tree in a home landscape. Individual trees can reach heights of 40 to 70 feet and widths of 25 to 35 feet, so dwarf cultivars are best for home landscapes. Quick ID Hints: needles grow in flat planes along the main branches linear green needles spirally arranged underside of needles has two parallel pale (glaucous) bands mature brown ovoid cones that are 0.75-inches long and hang from twig tips Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Hemlock wooly adelgid is a major pest. Other insect problems include elongate hemlock scale, hemlock borer, fir flat-headed borer, hemlock looper, hemlock rust mite, hemlock sawfly, bagworms, spider mites, gypsy moths, spruce budworm, spruce leaf miner, and grape scale. Disease problems include leaf (needle) blight, cankers, blister and needle rusts, and sapwood rot. Environmental problems include sun scorch in hot weather and sensitivity to drought. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for " Trees, Shrubs and Conifers " a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 61 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)

See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Pseudotsuga menziesii Taxodium distichum Taxus Tsuga canadensis Emerald Fountain® 'Monler' Tsuga caroliniana Tsuga heterophylla Tsuga mertensiana

Fills a similar niche Juniperus virginiana Pinus strobus Pinus taeda

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions

Plant type: Native Plant; Perennial; Tree
Life cycle: Woody
USDA zones: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light: Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture: Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH: Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage: Good Drainage | Moist
Available space: 24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region: Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size: Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in. | Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate: Rapid
Maintenance: Low
Canopy layer: 1 - Canopy (>40 ft)

Form & Appearance

Habit / form: Arching; Conical; Dense; Erect; Pyramidal
Texture: Fine
Foliage: Needled Evergreen
Leaf color: Brown/Copper; Cream/Tan; Green
Leaf type: Needles
Leaf arrangement: Opposite
Leaf shape: Acicular
Leaf margin: Dentate
Leaf size: < 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present: No
Leaf detail: The leaves are small ½-inch glossy needles that have a white underside in 2 opposite rows. Its needles are attached by slender stalks ending with woody pads. The margins minutely dentate, especially toward the apex. The linear green needles are spirally arranged around the branch. Along the main branches, some needles are laying on their backs.
Flower detail: No flowers. Pollen cones yellow rounded bumps that resemble a blackberry 1/8" across are found in groups near the tips of branches.
Fruit color: Brown/Copper
Fruit size: < 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail: The young female cones are green, oval, and have closed scales. As the cones mature, they are brown and 3/4-inch long. The scales will open to release their seeds.
Bark color: Dark Brown; Dark Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail: On mature trees, the bark is reddish-brown to grayish-brown with a thick, scaly, or ridged surface with irregular fissures.
Stem color: Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Gray/Silver
Stem detail: Twigs yellow-brown, densely pubescent. Stems slender, gray-brown in color; buds are very small.

Wildlife & Ecology

Native status: Native
Origin: North Central and Eastern U.S.A., Eastern Canada
Wildlife value: It provides winter and extreme weather coverage. Red crossbills and small mammals eat the seeds. Ruffled grouse eat the buds and white-tailed deer browse the foilage in winter. It is an important thermal cover component along streams for amphibians and fish. It also provides cover and shelter for turkey and white-tailed deer.
Attracts: Moths; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value: Pieces Used in Games; Wildlife Cover/Habitat; Wildlife Food Source

Food & Medicine

Harvest time: Fall

Uses (ethnobotany)

The cambium is used by Native Americans for breads and soups as well as with dried fruit and animal fat for pemmican. The leaves, which are high in vitamin C, are also used for tea. The bark was once used for tannin for leather production.

Landscape Use

Landscape location: Lawn; Naturalized Area; Recreational Play Area; Slope/Bank; Woodland
Landscape theme: Children's Garden; Native Garden; Shade Garden
Design feature: Hedge; Screen/Privacy; Shade Tree; Specimen; Understory Tree
Garden tags: #tsc #low maintenance #evergreen #deer resistant #amphibians #fish #small mammals #native tree #fire high flammability #conifer #children's garden #lumber #fantz #native garden #NC native #food source fall #slopes #winter cover #tsc-cg #Piedmont Mountains FACU #food source herbage #food source hard mast fruit #Coastal FACU #mammals #bird friendly #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #Audubon #mccarthy memorial garden #shade garden #playground plant #landscape plant sleuths course #larval host plant #hedge #wildlife friendly #cpp #HS111 #HS304 #screen #fpp

Problems & Resistance

Insect problems: Pests of Conifers; Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Resistant to: Black Walnut; Deer; Heavy Shade
Particularly resistant to: This tree is moderately resistant to damage from deer.
Fire risk: high flammability

Planted at Hunnicutt

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