This large coniferous tree has reddish brown scaly furrowed trunk with slender drooping branches that form an open pyramidal habit. It has pale bluish green needle-like leaves and the male flowers appear in spring followed by pendant purplish cones.

Hardiness zones 5 to 9

Tsuga mertensianais naturally found in North America from Alaska to British Columbia, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, California and extending to the Nevada growing from sea-level to mountainous regions at an altitude of 3050 m (11,000 ft).

It prefers an open sunny, northerly position and grows in cool moist deep acidic soils with a pH 3.4-5 that have persistent winter snow-packs that prevent the soil from freezing and is frost resistant but drought tender.

Mountain Hemlock is grown for its foliage and habit. It is planted in parks and large gardens as a lawn specimen tree or used in alpine settings. It is suitable for coastal and mountainous regions establishing in 3-5 years and is long-lived. This tree is also planted in a botanical collections. ID 2733

Note:
Its growth habit varies depending on altitude and at the alpine tree line it becomes a spreading shrub.

Tsuga (TSOO-gah) mertensiana (mer-TEN-see-AH-nah)

Pinaceae(py-NAY-see-ee)
Larches, spruces, pines, firs, hemlocks and cedars