Douglas Fir Logs

Douglas-fir is the name of an entire genus of trees that contains six species--two native to North America and four native to eastern Asia. Because of its similarity to other genera, Douglas-fir has given botanists fits. It has, at various times, been called a pine, a spruce, a hemlock, and a true fir. In 1867, because of its distinctive cones, it was given its own genus--Pseudotsuga--which means false hemlock. The hyphen in the common name lets us know that Douglas-fir is not a "true" fir--that it's not a member of the Abies genus.

Only one Douglas-fir is native to the Pacific Northwest, and it's by far the most important member of the entire genus. Its common name is identical to that of the genus, reflecting its importance. Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is Oregon's state tree. Coast Douglas-fir (var. menziesii ), the typical Douglas-fir of the Pacific Coast, is a very large tree with long, dark yellow-green needles and large cones with spreading bracts.

Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), of the Rocky Mountain region, is a medium-sized to large tree with shorter, blue-green needles and smaller cones with bracts bent upward. One of the world's most important timber species,

Douglas-fir ranks first in the United States in total volume of timber, in lumber production, and in production of veneer for plywood. It is one of the tallest trees as well and a popular Christmas tree. David Douglas (1798-1834), the Scottish botanical collector, who sent seeds back to Europe in 1827, is commemorated in the common name. The foliage is consumed by grouse and by deer and elk; birds and mammals eat the seeds. Coast Douglas-fir forms vast forests on moist, well-drained soils; often in pure stands. Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir is chiefly on rocky soils of mountain slopes; in pure stands and mixed coniferous forests.

Growing tall and straight, Douglas firs produce wood that’s stiff and moderate in weight, making it of great value for constructing buildings. In proportion to its dead weight, Douglas Fir is said to be stronger than concrete.

Douglas Firs generally grow 180 to 200 feet in height and four to six feet in diameter. Some giants may measure 325 feet in height, with a circumference of ten to fifteen feet.

Some bullet points about Douglas Firs:

• Needles: About 1" long with a blunt tip. Needles are green above with 2 white bands underneath.
• Fruit: Woody cones 3 to 4 inches long; pitchfork-shaped bracts are longer than scales. Cones hang down.
• Twig: Large pointed buds with reddish-brown, overlapping scales.
• Distribution: Abundant in western North America from British Columbia to Mexico. Grows at sea level along the coast to 7000 ft. (2200 m) in the Cascades and Sierras, and to 11,000 ft. (3400 m) in the southern Rockies.