Western Hemlock
Tsuga heterophylla

Family: Pinaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Green, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Pyramidal.

Tsuga heterophylla is an evergreen Tree growing to 70 m (229ft) by 15 m (49ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in leaf all year, in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 70

Where it is found

Forests, especially where moist and especially in deep forests from sea level to 1500 metres.

Western N. America - Alaska to N. California.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 1

Inner bark - raw or cooked. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread. It has also been used as a sweetener for other foods. The inner bark was often cooked and then dried for use in the winter. At its best in spring, it was one of the staple foods of the Alaskan Indians. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. The leaves and twigs yield 'spruce oil', used commercially to flavour chewing gum, soft drinks, ice cream etc. Pitch, obtained from crevices in the bark, has been chewed as a gum. The leaves and young shoots have been chewed as an emergency food to keep one alive when lost in the woods. A herbal tea is made from the leaves and shoot tips. These tips are also an ingredient of 'spruce beer'.

Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Gum: can be chewed as a chewing gum or can often be used as a sweetener or thickening agent in foods.

Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.

Medicine

Rating: 2

Western hemlock was commonly employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism. The bark is astringent, diaphoretic and diuretic. A decoction of the pounded bark has been used in the treatment of haemorrhages, tuberculosis and syphilis. The boiled bark, combined with liquorice fern (Polypodium glyccyrhiza), has been used in the treatment of haemorrhages. An infusion of the inner bark or twigs is helpful in the treatment of kidney or bladder problems. It can also be used as a good enema for treating diarrhoea and as a gargle or mouthwash for mouth and throat problems. Externally, it can be used as a wash on sores and ulcers. A poultice of the plant has been applied to bleeding wounds. A moxa of the twigs has been used to get rid of warts. The powdered bark can be put into shoes for tender or sweaty feet or for foot odour. The gum obtained from the trunk has been applied to cuts. It has been applied to the skin to prevent chapping and sunburn. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used in the treatment of burns.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.

Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.

Parasiticide: Treats external parasites such as ringworm This should perhaps be joined with Parasiticide in

Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.

Skin: Plants used in miscellaneous treatments for the skin.

Other

Rating:

Yields a resin similar to Abies balsamea, it is gathered by incisions in the trunk or by boiling the wood. The bark contains 8 - 18% tannin and is a major source of tannin in America. A reddish-brown dye is obtained from the bark. A decoction of the bark has been used to clean rust off iron and steel. A pitch (called hemlock pitch), is obtained by distillation of the young branches. The pitch is rubbed on the hair to get rid of head lice. Tolerant of light trimming, plants can be grown as a hedge. This species makes a good hedge in Britain. Wood - light, hard, tough, easy to work. Commercially superior to other members of this genus, it is an important tree for construction, the outside of buildings etc and for carving into spoons etc. It is also a major source of pulp. The wood makes a slow-burning fuel and so can be used to bank up a fire to keep it burning overnight.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Gum: Gums have a wide range of uses, especially as stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickening agents, adhesives etc.

Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.

Parasiticide: Kills external body parasites such as hair lice.

Resin: Used in perfumery, medicines, paints, soap making etc. This also includes turpentine, which is extracted from many resins and used as a preservative, water proofer etc,

Rust: Plants that can be used to prevent or treat rust.

Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Hedge: Hedge

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Hedge, Aggressive surface roots possible, Screen, Specimen, Woodland garden. An easily grown plant, it thrives best when growing in a deep well-drained soil in the western parts of Britain where it appreciates the higher rainfall. However, it succeeds in most soils and positions, being especially good on acidic sandy soils but also tolerating some lime so long as there is plenty of humus in the soil. Plants are very shade tolerant when young, but need more sunlight as they grow older. Plants are thin and poor when grown in dry or exposed places. Occasionally cultivated for its timber in Britain, it can grow 60 - 150cm per year. New growth takes place from mid-May to mid-September, at first it hangs downwards but begins to straighten towards the end of the season. There are trees more than 50 metres tall in Britain. Trees live for several centuries in the wild and often produce large quantities of seed. Plants often form pure stands and cast a dense shade, thus preventing the regeneration of other trees whilst being able to reproduce itself. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Special Features:North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - it germinates better if given a short cold stratification and so is best sown in a cold frame in autumn to late winter. It can also be sown in early spring, though it might not germinate until after the next winter. If there is sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing can be made in spring. Pot-grown seedlings are best potted up into individual pots once they are large enough to handle - grow them on in a cold frame and plant them out in early summer of the following year. Trees transplant well when they are up to 80cm tall, but they are best put in their final positions when they are about 30 - 45 cm or less tall, this is usually when they are about 5 - 8 years old. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy; Hedge;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 6-7

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

T. albertiana.