bigcone Douglas-fir Pinaceae Pseudotsuga macrocarpa (Vasey) Mayr symbol: PSMA Leaf: Evergreen flat needles, 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long, irregularly two ranked, generally sharp pointed, attached singly and lack a woody peg or suction cup attachment, blue-green to gray-green above, bluish bands below. Flower: Species is monoecious; males oblong, red turning to pale yellow, appearing near branch tips in clusters; females reddish with long bracts, appearing near branch tips in spring. Fruit: Very distinctive dark brown cone, 4 to 6 inches long, round scales with obvious three-lobed bracts protruding beyond cone scales, maturing in late summer. Twig: Slender, reddish brown often drooping, with long sharp, pointed, reddish brown buds. Bark: Smooth gray-brown when young, becoming darker, reddish brown and deeply furrowed with rounded ridges. Form: Medium sized tree reaching up to 60 feet tall often with long swooping branches. Looks like: Douglas-fir - Chinese Douglas-fir - bristlecone fir - western hemlock Additional Range Information: Pseudotsuga macrocarpa is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting bigcone Douglas-fir. External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, 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