Douglas Fir

(Pseudotsuga Menziesii)

Location:  The labeled tee is near the intermediate tee of No. 3. Other examples of the plant are right of the No. 7 fairway near the dogleg and behind No. 18 on the hill overlooking the green.

Tree information: Introduced into cultivation by the botanist David Douglas in 1827. The name also honors his rival botanist Archibald Menzies.  This was the dominant lumber tree in the northwest.

Size:  In native territory the champion trees exceed 300’ tall and diameters of 10’.   Most trees in cultivation are in the 80 to 100’ tall range.

Growth rate: Fast growing to 70 to 100’ tall.

Foliage description:  Douglas fir needles are held in two ranks around twigs looking like a v-shaped groove. The Cones hang downward unlike Frazier fir cones that are upright on the branches. It is not a ‘true’ fir tree. The cone has a snake tongue-like forked bract creeping out from under its scales.  True fir trees have needles that are upturned and not whorled. The Doug fir has needles with a white line underneath and are not prickly like spruce.

 

USDA hardiness zone: 3 to 6

Provenance: Planted at the time of the construction of the second nine.