Mountain Hemlock Vs Western Hemlock

Needles are blue green on all surfaces are similar in size and are uniformly arranged around the twig.

Mountain hemlock vs western hemlock. Between 12 and 1 long. Tsuga mertensiana known as mountain hemlock is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of north america with its northwestern limit on the kenai peninsula alaska and its southeastern limit in northern tulare county california. Mountain hemlock tsuga mertensiana also known as black hemlock and hemlock spruce is a humungous tree with an ability to grow 40 m tall and 150 cm wide. Mountain hemlock tsuga mertensiana click on each photo to enlarge image needles.

The oldest are over 1200 years old. Mertensiana refers to karl heinrich mertens 17961830 a german botanist who collected the first specimens as a member of a russian expedition in 1826 1829. Intolerant to heat and drought western hemlock is an excellent source of food for elk and deer and is home to many birds and small animals as well. They usually start out growing slowly in the shade much faster in full sunlight when an event occurs.

Western hemlock typically grows 150 195 feet 45 60m. The name tsuga comes from japanese words meaning mother and tree the species is named. Green to blue green in color. The tallest western hemlock is over 240 feet 73m tall.

The mountain hemlock as the name suggests occurs in the mountains up to the timberline and in subalpine parkland. Cones are cylindrical and are 1 to 3 inches long. Seedlings of western hemlock often begin life on the decaying wood of nurse logs or stumps in the shade of douglas firs. Clusters of needles often have a star like appearance.

Needles are all very short.