Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Also Known As: Interior douglas-fir, Coastal douglas-fir
Plant Family: Pine (Pinaceae)

Identification Guide: *Print version
Phenophase Field Guide: *Print version

2009 Live Map - View

Did you Know? Douglas-fir is the one of the most valuable lumber trees in the world. The wood is used as poles, beams, in bridges, as rail road ties, structural timber, in plywood, and to make furniture. It is found in many homes every December as a popular Christmas tree. Native Americans used the resin as an antiseptic in the treatment of burns, scrapes, and rashes. European explorers often placed young shoots in their boots to prevent athlete’s foot and nail fungus. The tallest Douglas-fir on recored is 100 meters (330 feet) high! This long lived species can exceed 1,000 years of age.

Identification Hints: Douglas-firs are called firs because like firs they have a series of needles that are separately attached to the twigs as contrasted with pines or larches which have needles in bundles (fascicles) or spurs. Pointed red buds distinguish Douglas-firs from true firs, such as grand-fir (Abies grandis) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). True firs have sticky rounded green to whitish buds. True firs also have more stiff rounded needles (with a tiny notch at the tip), and cones which are erect and born on the upper sides of branches. The most distinctive feature of Douglas-firs are the “mouse-tails” or exerted bracts on the cone scales, which extend outside of scales and have long narrow point (the tail).

Phenological Observations of Interest: First Needles, First Pollen, Full Pollen, First Ripe Fruit

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2009 Live Map for Douglas-fir

Below you can view the latest 100 observations that have been reported in 2009 for Douglas-fir (If the map below is empty then there have not been any 2009 observations reported.)

Use the navigation buttons on the left to zoom in/out and pan around. Click on each place marker to get detail information about that observation.

= First Needles
= First Pollen
= Full Pollen
= First Ripe Fruit

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