Green Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga Menziesii Viridis, Tree Seeds
Douglas Fir is a huge and stately long-lived evergreen conifer, the largest member of the pine family. Specimens more than 300 feet tall with trunk diameters exceeding 15 feet are known. Some of the larger trees are believed to be over a thousand years old. Douglas Fir has a narrow pyramidal shape, losing their lower branching and becoming more cylindrical with age.
The bark on young trees is smooth and ashy gray; that on mature trees is reddish brown and broken into longitudinal plates; really large trees can have bark more than 12 inches thick. The grayish green needles are flattened, quite soft, about 1 inch long, and arranged all around the twigs like a bottle brush. Needles are fragrant when bruised.
The cones are oval and pendulous, 2 to 4 inches long and each scale has a conspicuous three-pointed bract that gives the cone an overall spiny look. These trident shaped bracts are unique to the Douglas Firs. Douglas Firs start bearing cones at the tender age of 10 years and continue to produce nearly every year of their lives.
Other Names: Douglas-fir, Douglas Spruce, Green Needled Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga douglasii, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pseudotsuga taxifolia Viridis
Zone: 5 to 7
Growth Rate: Moderate
Plant Type: Needled evergreen conifer
Family: Pinaceae
Native Range: Western North America
Height: 40 to 125 feet
Spread: 12 to 20 feet
Shape: Pyramidal
Sun: Full Sun
Fall Color: Evergreen
Drought Tolerance: In cultivation, Douglas Fir is not tolerant of drought. They grow best in humid climates.
Water: Medium to Wet
Maintenance: Low
Site Requirements/Soil Tolerances: Best grown in medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun, it can tolerate partial shade, but it does best in full sun. Does best in locations with abundant air and soil moisture. A good tree for northern climates.
Culture: One of the most abundant trees in western North America, Douglas Firs grow from sea level to 10,000 feet and in climates that get just 15 inches of precipitation annually to climates that average more than 100 inches of precipitation a year. It often grows in pure to nearly pure stands. Douglas Fir is a widely grown and very popular ornamental in Great Britain. It has been planted in New Zealand as a timber crop and is now considered an invasive weed there. Under ideal conditions, Douglas Fir can grow 35 feet tall in 20 or 25 years.
Uses: Bonsai. Attractive specimen, good accent plant, Christmas tree, shade tree, lawn tree. Plant in groups or use as screen/windbreak.
Sowing Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca Seeds:
For best results, please follow the instructions in the order provided.
Scarify: Soak in water 24 Hours
Stratify Cold for 30 days, 40 Degrees F in a Moist Medium (Not wet).
Germination: Sow 1/4" Deep, Keep moist, (Not wet).
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