The Tsuga mertensiana, commonly known as Mountain Hemlock, grows along the pacific coast ranging from California to Alaska. Mountain Hemlocks need deep and well-drained soil because it needs a moist, wet habitat. It especially needs many nutrients and moist acidic soils. It grows well where there is shade, and doesn’t like a lot of sun when it is young. As it grows more sunlight is needed although it still needs shade. It grows on ridges and steep slopes of high altitude, along streams, bogs and swamps. Overall Mountain Hemlock in the Pacific Northwest, easily adjusts its growth to survive harsh environmental conditions.
Mountain Hemlock is an evergreen tree therefore it doesn’t loose its leaves. Its foliage colour is green. They are slow growing in the first few years however they average out to grow 30cm a year. These trees are able to grow up to 3 feet in diameter and grow up to 220 feet tall. The leaves are small and a dark green colour on top and bluish-green underneath. The leaves are attached to a stem that connects with the branch. They grow on top of the twig, as opposed to abstractly the twig. The leaves grow up to ½ in size and on average; the cones grow ½ to 2 inches long. These trees have an average growth rate. Many live up to 500 years old.
Kingdom - Plantae
Phylum - Coniferophyta
Class - Pinopsida
Order - Pinales
Family - Pinaceae
Genus - Tsuga
Species - Tsuga Mertensiana
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