The Tree

Eastern Hemlock is usually 60 to 80 feet tall and has a trunk diameter of two to three feet. Much larger trees are occasionally found. It has an irregular crown, and the forest tree has a high clear trunk. The bark is thick and is a cinnamon-red with long fissures and broad ridges. This bark was a very important source of tannin before other tanning processes were developed. The needles are narrow, flat, barely over one-half inch long, and rounded or minutely notched at the end. They are dark green in color on the upper side and a lighter shade on the under surface. A singular characteristic of the Hemlock is that the terminal twig usually points northeastward. The purplish green cones are very small, from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch long, and have very small seeds. This tree is the oflicial State tree of Pennsylvania.

Common Names in Use

• Eastern Hemlock (trade)
• Canada Hemlock (lit, and hort.)
• Canadian Hemlock (lit)
• Hemlock (Me., N.H., Vt., Mass., R.I., Conn., N.Y., N.J., Pa., Del., W. Va., Va., N.C., S.C., Ky., Wiss., Mich., Minn., Ohio., Ontario and trade)
• Hemlock Spruce (Vt., R.I., N.Y., Pa., N.Y., W. Va., N.C., S.C., England)
• Huron Pine (Mich., trade)
• New England Hemlock (lit)
• Oh-neh-tah “Greens on the stick" (N.Y., Indians)
• Pennsylvania White Hemlock (trade)
• Pine (Pa)
• Red Hemlock (W. Va.)
• Spruce (Pa, W. Va., N.C.)
• Spruce Pine (Pa., Del., Va., N.C., Ga.)
• Water Spruce (Ky.)
• White Hemlock (W. Va.)
• West Virginia Hemlock (trade)
• Wisconsin White Hemlock (trade)

Growth Range

Where does this tree grow?

The Wood

Features and attributes of this wood

Uses

What is this wood used for? Cabinets, fencing, decking?

Reference