Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
Soft, feathery sprays and a nodding leader give the hemlock a grace no other northeastern conifer matches, deepening the cool ravines and north slopes where it grows. Its dense shade makes its own microclimate, cooling the trout streams beneath it. Hemlock woolly adelgid is killing mature stands across the East, so plant it only where you can watch for infestation. The inner bark and a tea from the needles are traditional foods.
- Family
- Pinaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 40–70 ft
- Spacing
- 25–35 ft apart
- Light
- part shade, shade
- Soil moisture
- moist
- Soil pH
- acidic
- Bloom
- April
- Bloom colors
- yellow
- Wildlife value
- songbirds, butterflies, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~92 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- hedge or screen, naturalizing
- Native states
- AL, CT, DE, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV