Tsuga canadensis #2 (Eastern Hemlock)

Eastern Hemlock is one of the most graceful, adaptable, and beautiful native conifers. It is a forest climax species, meaning that its seedlings have evolved to grow under the shade of established forest tree species, and after many decades of growth, they win the game of succession. Little to nothing will grow in the deep, dry shade of a hemlock, limiting their competition for light, water and nutrients. They love growing on rocky slopes in cool, moist and acidic soils. They can tolerate seasonally drier conditions, but they are not drought tolerant and benefit from a thick layer of rich organic matter for mulching their shallow root systems.

The dark blue-green foliage maintains its color throughout the year, making it an excellent choice for screening or as a specimen in shady corners of the landscape. A grove of Eastern Hemlock is a calming, quiet retreat. Donald Culross Peattie wrote: “When the wind lifts up the Hemlock’s voice, it is no roaring like the Pine’s, no keening like the Spruce’s. The Hemlock whistles softly to itself. It raises its long, limber boughs and lets them drop again with a sigh, not sorrowful, but letting tranquility fall upon us.”

Eastern Hemlock is host to at least 92 species of Lepidoptera. At least 35 species* of bird feast on the seeds, especially Pine Siskins which will cling upside down to pick them out of the cones. The dense evergreen boughs provide shelter, suitable nesting sites and favored roosting spots for owls and turkeys.

The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid is an introduced insect that is a major threat to stands of Eastern Hemlock. Sightings of this destructive pest can be reported here.

Sources:
Native Trees, Shrubs, & Vines by William Cullina
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr
A Natural History of North American Trees by Donald Culross Peattie
Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees by Charlotte Adelman & Bernard L. Schwartz
Missouri Botanical Garden
Illinois Wildflowers

Photo Credits:
Integrated Landscape: Nicholas A. Tonelli from Northeast Pennsylvania, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Cones: Hladac, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons