# mountain hemlock (*Tsuga mertensiana*) Mountain hemlocks are tall trees that grow in cool, shady places. They have soft, green needles and can live for a very long time, making them special friends to the forest. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![mountain hemlock](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Tsuga_mertensiana_0261.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tsuga_mertensiana_0261.JPG) ## Appearance The mountain hemlock has a distinctive drooping leader and short, flattened bluish-green needles, giving it a soft, feathery texture. Its small, oval cones are often purplish-brown, hanging like tiny ornaments. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Pinaceae - **Genus:** Tsuga ## Interesting facts - Its small, purplish-brown cones hang like festive ornaments, often high in the branches. - Some mountain hemlocks can live for over 800 years, witnessing centuries of change! - This tough tree can grow where few others dare, right at the chilly alpine treeline! - When you roll a needle between your fingers, it feels slightly flattened, not round. ## Special abilities - **Snow Shedder:** Mountain hemlock has a flexible, drooping top that helps it shed heavy snow, preventing branch breakage and damage. - **Alpine Survivor:** Mountain hemlock can tolerate harsh subalpine conditions, with a sturdy root system anchoring it in rocky, windy slopes. - **Shade Dweller:** Mountain hemlock has excellent shade tolerance, allowing young trees to grow under the canopy of older, taller trees. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1500-4000 cm - **Spread:** 600-900 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Mule deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse on its tender shoots and foliage. - **Eats:** [Red Crossbill](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-crossbill) (*Loxia curvirostra*) — Specialized bill extracts seeds from its purplish cones. - **Shelter:** American three-toed woodpecker (*Picoides dorsalis*) — Provides nesting sites and foraging habitat in its bark. ## Traits - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Stay on paths and don't climb trees without an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify mountain hemlock? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is mountain hemlock? 1500-4000 cm ### How wide does mountain hemlock spread? 600-900 cm ### When does mountain hemlock bloom? Spring ### Is mountain hemlock edible? Yes ### Is mountain hemlock toxic? None ### What is mountain hemlock's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is mountain hemlock pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Sunrise](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sunrise) — Alaska, US · Neighborhood - [Great Sierra Mine Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-sierra-mine-historic-site) — California, US · Historic Site - [Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lassen-volcanic-national-park-highway-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District - [Munson Valley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/munson-valley-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [White River Entrance](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/white-river-entrance) — Washington, US · Historic District [View all places to see mountain hemlock](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/mountain-hemlock) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Mountain Hemlock: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mountain-hemlock)