Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

The Douglas Fir is a tall tree with soft, flat needles. It has a lovely smell that many people enjoy!

Habitat: Mountainous regions and forests

Appearance

The Douglas Fir is a majestic evergreen tree with dark green, flat needles. Its thick, deeply furrowed bark is reddish-brown. Distinctive cones have three-pointed bracts that stick out like tiny mouse tails.

KingdomPlantaePhylumPinophytaClassPinopsidaOrderPinalesFamilyPinaceaeGenusPseudotsuga

Douglas Fir

Interesting facts

If you crush its needles, they release a sweet, citrusy scent!

It's not a 'true fir'! Despite its name, Douglas Fir is in its own special tree group.

Its wood is famous for building, often making strong beams for big structures.

Some Douglas Firs have lived for over 1,300 years, standing tall since ancient times!

Special abilities

Douglas Fir has incredibly thick bark that protects its inner layers from forest fires, helping it survive.

Douglas Fir can grow over 300 feet tall, allowing it to reach sunlight above most other trees.

Douglas Fir has unique cones with little 'mouse tails' (bracts) that help seeds catch the wind and fly further.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-100 m
Canopy Spread: 8-20 m
Edible: No
Trunk Diameter: 100-400 cm
Lifespan: 200-1000 years
Fruit Type: Cone
Growth Rate: Medium
Leaf Type: Evergreen

Ecological connections

eaten by

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Young trees and seedlings are browsed by deer.

eats

Western Gray Squirrel

Sciurus griseus

Squirrels gather and eat the nutritious seeds from the cones.

shelters

Spotted Owl

Strix occidentalis

Mature Douglas Firs provide crucial nesting sites for these owls.

symbiotic with

Wine-colored truffle

Rhizopogon vinicolor

Fungi help the tree absorb nutrients from the soil.

Traits

Coniferous

Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones.

Evergreen

Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Timber

Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.

Mountain

This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Temperate Rainforest

This habitat trait identifies species found in temperate rainforests, characterized by significant rainfall, mild temperatures, and dense evergreen or deciduous forests in coastal regions.