Pseudotsuga menziesii

Common Names

Douglas Fir, Douglas-Fir, Oregon Pine, Rocky Mountain Douglas-Fir, Coast Douglas-Fir, Columbian Pine, Red Fir, Douglas Spruce

Summary

Pseudotsuga menziesii, commonly called Douglas fir, is an evergreen conifer native to western North America, from central British Columbia to central California and into northern Mexico, with coast and Rocky Mountain varieties, it grows with a tall, conical to cylindrical crown and bears flat needles with two white bands on the underside, along with pendulous seed cones featuring distinctive three-pointed bracts, bark becomes thick and corky with age, for cultivation, it prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soils, tolerates acidic to neutral pH and can tolerate alkaline soils, and benefits from regular watering to establish, it is intolerant of sustained heat and drought in hot sites, uses include timber for lumber, veneer, and millwork, and as Christmas trees or landscape specimens, seeds provide wildlife forage and it supports habitat, windbreaks, and erosion control, management should monitor for pests such as the Douglas-fir beetle and diseases like needle cast

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

40-80 feet

Spread

12-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-6

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, seedlings prefer partial shade during establishment, established trees require full sun.

Soil Type

Well-drained, deep, moist soil with pH 5–6 (acidic to neutral).

Soil Drainage

Well-drained, deep soils.

Soil pH

4.0-6.0

Bloom Color

Yellow to deep red, green to deep red

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green to blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall foliage color change; evergreen.

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen needle

Growth Rate

Very fast growth

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths