Carolina hemlock Pinaceae Tsuga caroliniana Engelm. symbol: TSCA2 Leaf: Evergreen, flattened, single needles, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, not tapering towards the round tip; dark green above, paler with two bluish-white stomatal lines beneath; needles radiate out from twig in all directions and are attached with a small petiole. Flower: Species is monoecious; male cones small and yellowish; females small and greenish; both males and females occur near branch tips. Fruit: Woody light brown cone, 1 to 1 1/2 inches, when dry scales stick out at nearly right angles, scales longer than they are wide. Twig: Slender, yellowish brown, turning gray-brown, buds small and round. Bark: Dark, reddish brown, develops fissures with scaly ridges, inner bark often showing maroon patches. Form: Pyramidal crown with hanging branches, almost lacy looking. Reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet, 1 to 1 1/2 feet in diameter. Looks like: eastern hemlock - western hemlock - mountain hemlock - English yew Additional Range Information: Tsuga caroliniana is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting Carolina hemlock. External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson