Description
The Eastern Hemlock’s preference for partial shade and tolerance of full shade allows it to be planted in areas where other conifers would not easily grow.
The oldest recorded specimen of this tree is one in Pennsylvania that is at least 554 years old.
Its shape is conical, with a wide trunk that tapers into a thin top.
Skinny flexible branches grow straight out from the trunk and then droop at the ends.
The eastern hemlock’s bark is scaly when the tree is young and cracks deeply as the tree gets older.
Its needles are 1 to 2 centimetres long and are shiny green on top and paler underneath.
The cones of the eastern hemlock are oval shaped, and are 12 to 20 millimetres long. In the late fall and winter, the seeds fall out of the cones and onto the ground.
Its ability to withstand hard pruning make it a desirable ornamental tree.
| Eastern Hemlock Facts and Features | |
| Mature Size | 30 m. (100 ft.) |
| Sun/Shade | Very shade tolerant |
| Moisture | Requires a lot of moisture |
| Soil | Grows in many soil types |
| Flowers | No |
| Fruit | No |
| Special Features | The eastern hemlock can live for up to 600 years! |
