Botanical Name:

Pseudotsuga menziesii

Common Name:

Douglasfir, Douglas-fir, Douglas fir

Family Name:

Pinaceae – pine family

General Description:

Pseudotsuga menziesii is highly valued as a timber tree, as a stately forest tree and as an ornamental tree for the landscape. It is native to North America throughout the Rocky Mountains and Pacific coast where it is typically the largest tree in the forest. Pseudotsuga menziesii is considered one of the largest trees in the world. Even under cultivation here in the Midwest it can reach well over 40 foot tall. The Rocky Mountain geographical variety Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca is considered the best choice for use in the Chicago area as it has better winter hardiness. Douglasfir is best used on large scale sites, in full sun and in moisture retentive soils. Wind and drought is problematic for this plant. There are several cultivars available from specialty nurseries, primarily selected for foliage and form qualities. The cultivars may be better suited for the residential landscape than the species.

Zone:

(3)4-6

Resources Consulted:

Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses. Champaign: Stipes, 2009. Print.

Missouri Botanical Garden. Missouri Botanical Garden, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.

"The PLANTS Database." USDA, NRCS. National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA, 2014. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.

Creator:

Julia Fitzpatrick-Cooper, Professor, College of DuPage

Creation Date:

2014

Keywords/Tags:

Pinaceae, tree, conifer, cone, needle, evergreen, Pseudostuga menziesii, Douglasfir

Download PDF version of this plant profile