Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

General Information
Common Name Douglas Fir
Scientific Name Pseudotsuga Menziesii
Sun Tolerance Full Sun
Height 20 - 100 m (70 - 330 ft)
Spread 10 - 20 m (33 - 70 ft)
Growth Rate Fast
Bloom Time Spring
Color Green,
Flower Color Red
Type Tree
Native USA, Asia, Europe.
Classification
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
SuperdivisionSpermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Coniferophyta – Conifers
Class Pinopsida
Subclass 
Order Pinales
Family Pinaceae – Pine family
Genus Pseudotsuga Carriere. –  Fir
Species P. Menziesii


Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga Menziesii commonly known as Douglas Fir. It is a magnificent, large and important tree of western North America, was discovered by Archibald Menzies, a Scottish botanist, in 1791 on the west coast of Vancouver Island. David Douglas another Scottish botanist, sent seeds to England in 1822, and the tree now ranks as a major species in British forestry, particularly so far as speed and quantity of growth, and strength of wood are concerned. The tree is not a true fir: its cones are pendent whereas those of true firs stand erect.
P. menziesii is medium-size to extremely large evergreen trees, 20–100 m (70–330 ft) in height.
The young shoots are yellowish-green (some dark pink, briefly), turning grey as they age. The brown papery buds are shiny, long and spindle-shaped, and always non-resinous. The needles are soft, disposed on a flat plane, and are deep green on top, with a groove; underneath they show two grey bands of stomata on either side of a prominent midrib. They taper towards the apex, and when pulled away from, the twig they leave a smooth round scar, not a peg. The soft new pale green needles which appear in June fringe the edges of all the branches, giving the tree its best appearance.
Both sexes of flowers are found on the same tree. The male catkins are mostly pendulous and in groups; they are brownish or dull red at first, turning yellow at pollen time. The female flowers are at first erect, with soft green scales and long pointed bracts, which are usually crimson or pink. They hang down when developing into the 5 – 8 cm cones which become pale-brown, with papery three-pronged bracts peering out from each scale. Winged seeds fall in mid-autumn.
The bark is at first greyish-black and smooth, with some blisters holding fragrant resin, but eventually becomes reddish-brown, thick and corky, deeply ridged and fissured, with orange-brown tints in the cracks. The sapwood is pale creamy-brown and heartwood pinkish-brown, darkening with age. The wood is coarse in texture, fairly hard, straight-grained, resinous, strong and heavy, providing an excellent constructional, flooring, and joinery timber, as well as one having many ther uses which include fencing, pit-props, paper pulp, and telegraph poles.
Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir
Silviclturists appreciate Douglas Fir’s quick growth and heavy volume, but take care not to plant it on infertile ground or where wind blow may result. It is only seen at its best on deep well-drained soils in fairly sheltered situations. A specimen at Powis Castle near Welshpool in Mont-gomeryshire rises about 180 feet – one of the tallest trees in Britain.
The Colorado or ‘Blue’ Douglas Fir, P. menziesii glauca Franco, is a smaller and slower growing tree with bluish foliage that smells of turpentine when crushed. This species is not satisfactory in Europe, and is planted only as a slow-growing ornamental tree.


Douglas Fir young Plants

Leaves of Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii Leaves

Male and Female Flowers of Douglas Fir

Douglas Fir Male Catkin
Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir Male and Female Flowers
Douglas Fir Female Cone

Female Cone of Douglas Fir

Mature Female Cone of Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir Female Cone

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir Mature Cone

Male and Female Flowers of Douglas Fir

Bark of Douglas Fir

Log of Douglas Fir

 Douglas Fir as Ornamental Plant

Douglas Fir Plants for Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga Menziesii – Douglas Fir
Video of Douglas Fir:

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