Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis, Traité Gén. Conif.: 189 (1855))

Family: Pinaceae

Author: (L.) Carrière

Bibliography: Traité Gén. Conif.: 189 (1855)

Year: 1855

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Tsuga

Vegetable: False

Observations: E. Canada to NC. & E. U.S.A.

Description

Eastern hemlock, scientifically known as Tsuga canadensis, is a coniferous tree widely distributed across Eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. This majestic tree is a member of the Pinaceae family, which includes other significant conifers such as pines, spruces, and firs.

Native to regions stretching from eastern Canada down to North Carolina, the Eastern hemlock is well-adapted to the varied climates and landscapes of the eastern United States. These trees are commonly found in cool, moist environments, often thriving in the understoreys of mixed hardwood forests. Their presence is a defining feature of many Eastern woodland ecosystems.

Eastern hemlock is known for its elegant, pyramidal shape and delicate, lacy foliage. The tree’s needles are small, flat, and glossy, usually dark green in color with two white stomatal bands on the underside. These needles are arranged in a unique, two-ranked pattern along the branches, giving the tree a graceful and feathery appearance. The bark of the Eastern hemlock is reddish-brown and deeply furrowed, becoming more rough and scaly with age.

The Eastern hemlock is of significant ecological importance. It provides habitat and food for numerous wildlife species. Birds, such as the black-throated green warbler and several species of mammals, including deer, rely on the Eastern hemlock for shelter and sustenance. Additionally, the tree plays a crucial role in maintaining the forest’s hydrology, helping to regulate stream flows and contributing to the overall health of the forest ecosystem.

However, the Eastern hemlock faces serious threats from the hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive pest that has had a devastating impact on hemlock populations across much of its range. Conservation efforts are ongoing to manage and mitigate the effects of this pest, with strategies including chemical treatments, biological control agents, and promoting genetic resistance in hemlock populations.

In addition to its ecological value, the Eastern hemlock has historical and economic significance. Its wood is used for various purposes, including construction and crafts, although it is not as commercially prized as other conifers. Historically, the bark was extensively harvested for tannins used in the leather tanning industry.

Tsuga canadensis was first described in detail in the mid-19th century, formally recognized with a comprehensive description in Traité Général des Conifères (1855) by Élie-Abel Carrière, an esteemed French botanist. This formal recognition highlighted the importance and distinct characteristics of the Eastern hemlock within the diverse family of conifers.

In summary, the Eastern hemlock is a vital component of eastern North American forests, valued not only for its beauty and ecological roles but also for its contribution to biodiversity and forest dynamics. Ongoing conservation efforts are crucial to ensure the survival of this iconic tree for future generations.

Common Names

Ita: abete del canada, tsuga canadese
Eng: black hemlock, canada hemlock, canadian hemlock, common hemlock, eastern hemlock, eastern hemlock-spruce, hemlock, hemlock spruce
Nld: canadese hemlockspar, oostelijke hemlockspar
Dan: canadisk skarntydegran, canadisk tsuga, østamerikansk hemlock
Pol: choina kanadyjska
Deu: hemlocktanne, kanadische hemlocktanne, kanadische schierlingstanne, schierlingstanne
Hun: kanadai hemlokfenyo
Lit: kanadinė cūga
Swe: hemlock
Ces: jedlovec kanadský, tsuga kanadská
Por: pinheiro-canadense
Fra: pruche, pruche canadienne, pruche de l’est, pruche du canada, pérusse, sapin du canada, tsuga du canada
Slk: tsuga kanadská
Rus: тсуга канадская (tsuga kanadskaya)
Zho: 加拿大铁杉 (jia na da tie shan)
Nno: kanadahemlokk
Nob: kanadahemlokk
En: Eastern hemlock, Canada Hemlock, ᏃᏄ, Black hemlock, Canadian hemlock, Common hemlock, Eastern hemlock-spruce, Hemlock, Hemlock spruce
Ar: أتسوغة كندية
Az: Kanada tsuqası
Be: Тсуга канадзкая, Тсуга канадская
Bg: Канадска цуга
Zh: 加拿大铁杉, 加拿大铁杉 (jia na da tie shan)
Cs: Jedlovec kanadský, Tsuga kanadská
Da: Østamerikansk Hemlock, Canadisk skarntydegran, Canadisk tsuga
Nl: Oost-Amerikaanse hemlockspar, Oostelijke hemlockspar, Canadese hemlockspar
Eo: Orienta cugo
Et: Kanada tsuuga
Fi: Kanadanhemlokki
Fr: Pruche du Canada, Pruche, Pruche canadienne, Pruche de l’Est, Pérusse, Sapin du Canada, Tsuga du Canada
De: Kanadische Hemlocktanne, Hemlocktanne, Kanadische Schierlingstanne, Schierlingstanne, Östliche Hemlocktanne
He: צוגה קנדית
Hu: Kanadai hemlokfenyő, Kanadai hemlokfenyo
Is: Skógarþöll
It: Abete del Canada, Tsuga canadese
Lt: Kanadinė cūga
No: Canadahemlokk
Nb: Kanadahemlokk
Nn: Kanadahemlokk
Pl: Choina kanadyjska
Pt: Pinheiro-canadense
Ru: Тсуга канадская, Тсуга канадская (tsuga kanadskaya)
Sr: Канадска цуга
Sk: Jedľovec kanadský, Tsuga kanadská
Es: Tsuga del Canadá, Tsuga del Este
Sv: Hemlock
Tr: Kanada sugası
Uk: Тсуґа канадська
Cy: Hemlog y Dwyrain

Synonyms

• Tsuga canadensis f. argentea ((J.Nelson) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis argenteovariegata (Sudw.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. globosa (Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. jenkinsii (L.H.Bailey)
• Abies canadensis var. milfordensis (M.Young ex Gordon)
• Tsuga canadensis var. sargentiana (A.H.Kent)
• Tsuga canadensis milfordensis (G.Nicholson)
• Tsuga canadensis f. columnaris (Bolle ex Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. taxifolia (Swartley)
• Tsuga canadensis f. sparsifolia ((Beissn.) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis f. hussii ((Swartley) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis minima (Hesse ex Schelle)
• Abies canadensis nana ((Carrière) Carrière)
• Tsuga canadensis var. pumila ((Ordnung ex Beissn.) Sudw.)
• Abies canadensis var. alba-spica (Barron ex Gordon)
• Tsuga canadensis f. minuta ((Teusch.) Rehder)
• Abies canadensis var. gracilis (Waterer ex Gordon)
• Tsuga canadensis f. nana ((Carrière) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis var. compacta (Sénécl.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. wellesiana (Hornibr.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. alba-spica ((Barron ex Gordon) Beissn.)
• Abies canadensis microphylla (Lindl.)
• Tsuga canadensis sargentii-pendula (Parsons)
• Tsuga canadensis f. fremdii ((A.Kost. ex Swartley) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis f. aurea ((Beissn.) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis var. sargentii (A.Henry)
• Tsuga canadensis f. dawsoniana ((Swartley) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis var. argentea ((J.Nelson) A.Henry)
• Tsuga canadensis variegata (Otto)
• Abies canadensis atrovirens (Parsons)
• Tsuga canadensis var. fremdii (A.Kost. ex Swartley)
• Tsuga canadensis f. pendula (Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. sargentii (C.K.Schneid.)
• Abies canadensis var. argentea (J.Nelson)
• Tsuga canadensis var. erecta (Sudw.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. parvula (Vict. & J.Rousseau)
• Tsuga canadensis f. minima ((Hesse ex Schelle) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis var. sparsifolia (Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. prostrata (Jenk.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. pumila (Ordnung ex Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. jenkinsii ((L.H.Bailey) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis f. compacta ((Sénécl.) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis var. minuta (Teusch.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. taxifolia ((Swartley) Rehder)
• Tsuga canadensis f. gracilis ((Waterer ex Gordon) Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. hussii (Swartley)
• Tsuga canadensis var. dawsoniana (Swartley)
• Tsuga canadensis var. alba-spica ((Barron ex Gordon) Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. microphylla ((Lindl.) Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. aurea (Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. fastigiata (Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. pyramidalis (Zederb.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. pendula ((Beissn.) Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis paucifolia (Sudw.)
• Tsuga canadensis f. atrovirens ((Parsons) Beissn.)
• Tsuga canadensis var. nana (Carrière)
• Tsuga americana ((Mill.) Farw.)
• Tsuga canadensis argentifolia (Sudw.)
• Abies curvifolia (Salisb.)
• Picea laxa ((Münchh.) Sarg.)

Distribution

• Alabama (native)
• Connecticut (native)
• Georgia (native)
• Indiana (native)
• Kentucky (native)
• Maine (native)
• Maryland (native)
• Masachusettes (native)
• Michigan (native)
• Minnesota (native)
• New Brunswick (native)
• New Hampshire (native)
• New Jersey (native)
• New York (native)
• North Carolina (native)
• Nova Scotia (native)
• Ohio (native)
• Ontario (native)
• Pennsylvania (native)
• Prince Edward I. (native)
• Québec (native)
• Rhode I. (native)
• South Carolina (native)
• Tennessee (native)
• Vermont (native)
• Virginia (native)
• West Virginia (native)
• Wisconsin (native)
• Germany (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Norway (introduced)
• Poland (introduced)

Additional Images

Other

Taken Nov 14, 2018 by Tela Botanica − Lydie Dufeu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 22, 2020 by Otakar Pitrmuc (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 19, 2019 by Melissa Melissa Keneely (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 29, 2021 by Fortier Marie-Josée (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Habit

Taken Jan 6, 2022 by William Coville (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 8, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 18, 2021 by Frédéric bleuze (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 29, 2021 by Fortier Marie-Josée (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Dec 8, 2021 by Willem Defieuw (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 1, 2021 by Levi Schneider (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 11, 2021 by june choi (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 15, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Sep 14, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Alain BIGOU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 14, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Alain BIGOU (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 13, 2020 by Pavlína Koc. (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 8, 2021 by Willem Defieuw (cc-by-sa)

Taken Feb 16, 2022 by Nick Kovacs (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Oct 29, 2021 by Fortier Marie-Josée (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 18, 2021 by Peter Peter Kikic (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 8, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 8, 2021 by Willem Defieuw (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 1, 2022 by Rod Kennedy (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Taken Feb 15, 2019 by Tela Botanica − Michel Gaubert (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 14, 2018 by Tela Botanica − Lydie Dufeu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 14, 2018 by Tela Botanica − Lydie Dufeu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 17, 2021 by Becky McCleary (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 18, 2021 by Kevin Johansson (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2687182)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:264005-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière)

Specifications

Growth form: Single Stem

Growth habit: Tree

Growth rate: Slow

Growth

Ph maximum: 5.7

Ph minimum: 4.2