mountain hemlock Pinaceae Tsuga mertensiana (Bong.) Carrière symbol: TSME Leaf: Evergreen, flattened, single needles, spirally arranged (never 2-ranked); short (1/2 to 3/4 inch long) and thickened in cross section, uniform in color on all sides ranging from dark green to blue-green, rounded apexes, short but distinct petioles. Lateral branches are often very short, giving the appearance of star-shaped clusters of foliage. Flower: Species is monoecious; male cones are tiny, yellow, and occur axillary on previous year's growth; female cones are tiny, purple, and terminal. Fruit: Small woody cylindrical cones (1 to 3 inches long) with numerous thin, imbricate scales; pendent, sessile, and terminal; reddish brown; mature in one season. Twig: Slender to moderately stout, and minutely pubescent, roughened by diagonally-raised and rounded leaf scars; main branches contain numerous short lateral branches. Bark: Young bark is thin, superficially scaly, and brown to black; on mature trees, bark is thin (1 to 2 inches) with narrow rounded ridges, reddish brown in color. Form: A small, high elevation, evergreen conifer that grows 60 to 100 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Mature trees have a pyramidal crown with dense, tight foliage. Looks like: western hemlock - eastern hemlock - Carolina hemlock - Pacific yew Additional Range Information: Tsuga mertensiana is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting mountain hemlock. External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database