Douglas fir

E1430

Douglas fir is a large, long-lived conifer native to western North America, valued for its strong timber and ecological importance in mountain and coastal forests.


Statements (73)
Predicate Object
instanceOf conifer
evergreen tree
timber tree
tree species
barkColor gray to brown
climatePreference continental climate
cool moist climate
maritime climate
commercialImportance major export timber species
one of the most important commercial softwoods in North America
commonNameOf Pseudotsuga menziesii
coneCharacteristic cones with three-pointed bracts
coneType seed cones
describedBy David Douglas (as collector) and later taxonomists
distinguishedFrom true firs by cone bracts
evergreenNeedleArrangement spirally arranged on twigs
family Pinaceae
fireEcology moderately fire-resistant bark in mature trees
foundIn coastal forests
montane forests
subalpine forests
genus Pseudotsuga
growthRate fast-growing
introducedTo Australia
Chile
Europe
New Zealand
kingdom Plantae
leafPersistence evergreen
leafType needle-like leaves
longevity more than 500 years
maximumDiameter over 2 meters at breast height
maximumHeight over 230 feet
over 70 meters
namedAfter David Douglas
nativeTo Pacific Northwest
Rocky Mountains
western North America
needleLength about 2 to 3 centimeters
notTrueFir not a member of genus Abies
order Pinales
photosyntheticType C3 plant
pollination wind-pollinated
rangeExtension widely planted outside native range
reproduction sexual reproduction by seeds
roleInEcosystem carbon sequestration
dominant canopy species
habitat provider for wildlife
soil stabilization
seedDispersal wind-dispersed seeds
shadeTolerance moderate shade tolerance
soilPreference deep soils
well-drained soils
taxonRank species
threat fire suppression effects
fungal diseases
insect pests
logging
usedFor Christmas trees (some varieties)
doors and windows
engineered wood products
flooring
framing lumber
marine pilings
paper production
utility poles
valuedFor construction lumber
ecological importance
plywood production
pulpwood
strong timber
woodColor light brown to reddish brown
woodDensity relatively high for softwood

Referenced by (18)

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