Practical
Plants

Tsuga mertensiana

Mountain Hemlock

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Tsuga
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
45 m
Spread
10 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

Inner bark - raw or dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc or mixed with cereals when making bread[3]. It is best used in the spring[5]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails[6]. A herbal tea is made from the young leaves and shoot tips[5][6].

Plant part
Inner bark
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The bark is astringent, diaphoretic and diuretic[9]. A tea made from the inner bark or twigs is helpful in the treatment of influenza, colds, kidney or bladder problems, and also makes a good enema for treating diarrhoea[9][11]. It can also be used as a gargle or mouthwash for mouth and throat problems or externally to wash sores and ulcers[9]. The powdered bark can be put into shoes for tender or sweaty feet or for foot odour[9]. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used to treat burns[11]. The warm gum obtained from the trunks has been used as a dressing on cuts[11].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

The slightly unripe cones are used in pot-pourri. They retain an attractive scent for several years[8]. Yields a resin similar to Abies balsamea, it is gathered by incisions in the trunk or by boiling the wood[13][14][15]. The bark contains 8 - 14% tannin[13][4]. The inner bark is used according to one report[19]. A brown dye is obtained from the bark[9][13]. The boughs are steamed or rubbed on furniture and used as a room deodorant and disinfectant[11]. A pitch (called hemlock pitch), is obtained by distillation of the young branches[13]. Tolerant of light trimming, plants can be grown as a tall hedge[12][18]. Wood - strong[4]. Used for heavy construction[4]. Close-grained, light, soft and weak according to other reports, which go on to say that it is occasionally manufactured into lumber when other wood is not available[19][10].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Incense
Product or use
Pot-pourri
Product or use
Resin
Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Hedge

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Alaska to California.
Habitat
Exposed ridges and slopes at high altitudes, often to 3000 metres[19]. The best stands are found in sheltered areas with deep moist well-drained soils, high precipitation and long cold winters[10].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
permanent shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - it germinates better if given a short cold stratification[17][2] and so is best sown in a cold frame in autumn to late winter. It can also be sown in early spring, though it might not germinate until after the next winter. If there is sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing can be made in spring[16]. Pot-grown seedlings are best potted up into individual pots once they are large enough to handle - grow them on in a cold frame and plant them out in early summer of the following year. Trees transplant well when they are up to 80cm tall, but they are best put in their final positions when they are about 30 - 45 cm or less tall, this is usually when they are about 5 - 8 years old[8]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[8].

Cultivation

An easily grown plant, it thrives best when growing in a deep well-drained soil in the western parts of Britain where it appreciates the higher rainfall[1]. However, it succeeds in most soils and positions, being especially good on acidic sandy soils[18]. Plants are very shade tolerant when young, but need more sunlight as they grow older[18][8]. Plants are thin and poor when grown in dry or exposed places[8]. Dislikes atmospheric pollution[19]. A very ornamental plant[1], it is slow growing for the first few years, averaging 30cm a year, but older trees, especially in Scottish lowland sites in areas with cool moist summers, are growing rapidly[7]. Trees live 400 - 500 years in the wild[10]. They commence bearing seeds when about 20 - 30 years old, years of high production alternating with years of low production[10]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[8].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩

  3. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩

  4. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2

  7. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  9. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  10. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974-00-00 ISBN 0900629649

    ↩

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  15. Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber

    ↩

  16. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

  17. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩

  18. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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