Tsuga canadensis

Common name: Canadian hemlock

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Pendula’ ‘Cole’s Prostrate’ ‘Gracilis’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  3-7

Mature height and spread:  13-23m; 8-12m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: average, medium moisture, well-drained soils; part shade to full shade

Leaf arrangement:  needles in two ranks, flat, whitish below with stomatal lines, some needle upside down

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  ovoid, pointed, 12-20mm

Limitations: Intolerant of drought

Suitable uses:  for shady areas for the landscape, lawn specimen

Quick ID description:  two ranks, flat, stomatal lines, upside down; ovoid, pointed

Photographs: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/tsca.htm

Tsuga mertensiana (N)

Common name: mountain hemlock

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Elizabeth’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  4

Mature height and spread:  12m; 8m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: rich, well-drained soil, full sun to part shade

Leaf arrangement:  needles radially around the stem, 10-20mm, stomatal lines on both sides, “Base attached to the stem via a roundish “peg” and short petiole (Oregon State University, Landscape Plants), the needles on short shoot are grouped in star-like clusters.

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  cones are stalkless, 5-8cm

Limitations: do not like dry wind and air pollution

Suitable uses:  specimen

Quick ID description:  stomatal line on both sides, stalkless

Photographs: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/tsme.htm

Tsuga heterophylla (N)

Common name: western hemlock

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Thorsen’s Weeping’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  6-8

Mature height and spread:  18-30m; 15m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: average, medium moisture, well-drained soils; part shade to full shade

Leaf arrangement:  needles go up, more or less two ranks, short petiole

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  cone elliptical, 2-2.5cm

Limitations: intolerant of drought

Suitable uses:  specimen, bonsai

Quick ID description:  needles go up, short petiole; elliptical

Photographs: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/tshe.htm

Thuja plicata (N)

Common name: Pacific redcedar

Family name: Cupressaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Whipcord’ ‘Virescens’ ‘Cuprea’ ‘Whipcord’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  5-7

Mature height and spread:  16-24m; 5-8m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: moist, fertile, well-drained soils; full sun to part shad

Leaf arrangement:  scale-like, opposite, shiny dark green, white markings on the back

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  12mm, elliptical in cluster, upright, sharp point

Limitations: Intolerant of dry conditions.

Suitable uses:  large specimen tree, back grounds

Quick ID description:  scale-like, opposite, white marking; sharp point

Photographs:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/thpl.htm

Pseudotsuga menziesii (N)

Common name: Douglas fir

Family name: Pinaceae

USDA Hardiness Zone:  4-6

Mature height and spread:  13-26m; 4-7m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium to wet

Soil requirements: medium to wet, well-drained soils; full sun

Leaf arrangement:  two ranks, 2-3cm, two wide stomatal band on the underside, narrow needles

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  10cm long cones, with bracts like two back feet and tail of a mouse

Suitable uses:  great timber tree and forest tree, but not a good landscape when planting in towns and cities.

Quick ID description:  two ranks, stomatal band, bracts

Photographs:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/FullImageDisplay.aspx?documentid=8487

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/psme8.htm

Pinus sylvestris

Common name: Scotch pine

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Hillside Creeper’ ‘Glauca Nana’ ‘Aurea’ ‘Fastigiata’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  2-7

Mature height and spread:  10-20m; 10-13m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: moist, acidic, well-drained soils; full sun

Leaf arrangement:  blue-green, 2 needles a group, 2.5-8cm, stiff, twisted, stomatal band

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  2.5-7cm, has a short stalk

Limitations: tolerant urban conditions, tolerant a variety of soil types

Suitable uses:  rock gardens, foundations

Quick ID description:  blue-green, 2 needles, twisted, stomatal band; stalk

Photographs:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/pisy.htm

Pinus parviflora

Common name: Pinus parviflora

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Venus’ ‘Adcock’s Dwarf’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  Pinaceae

Mature height and spread:  12m; 8m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: Medium

Soil requirements: medium moisture, well-drained soils; full sun

Leaf arrangement:  bluish leaves, 5 per cluster, slender, green outside, white inside; smooth branch

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  5-10 cm, opening widely

Limitations: tolerant poor soils; do not like wind or drought

Suitable uses:  specimen

Quick ID description:  bluish, 5 per cluster, smooth

Photographs:

Pinus nigra

Common name: black pine

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Hornivrookiana’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  4-7

Mature height and spread:  13-20m; 7-13m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: deep, moist, well-drained soil; full sun

Leaf arrangement:  2 needles; longer, slightly twist, sharp, 8-12cm

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  2-4 in a cluster, ovoid, 4-8cm long

Limitations: tolerant of urban conditions

Suitable uses:  Specimen, screen

Quick ID description:  2 needles, sharp, long; ovoid

Photographs:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/pini.htm

Pinus mugo

Common name: mountain pine

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:  ‘Mops’ ‘Allen’ ‘Gordon Bentham’

USDA Hardiness Zone:  2-7

Mature height and spread:  5-7m; 8-10m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: moist, well-drained loams; full sun.

Leaf arrangement:  2 needles; 2.5-5cm

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  have a stalk, ovoid, 2.5-5cm

Limitations: tolerant of urban conditions

Suitable uses:  rock gardens, foundations and other small areas around the home; bonsai

Quick ID description:  2 needles; without stalk

Photographs:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/pimu.htm

Pinus contorta subsp. contorta (N)

Common name: Shore pine

Family name: Pinaceae

Useful cultivars and selections:

USDA Hardiness Zone:  2

Mature height and spread:  5-12m; 5-6m

Form: evergreen conifer

Water use: medium

Soil requirements: wide variety of soil condition

Leaf arrangement:  not as blue as sylvestris, more twisted; 2 needles group

Flower/cone/fruit description(s):  egg-shaped, 2-5cm, black

Limitations: no shade, very tolerant of salt spray

Suitable uses:  specimen, bonsai

Quick ID description:  twisted, 2 needles; egg shape

Photographs:

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants/picoc.htm