About the Western Hemlock
Western Hemlock is a graceful tree distinguished by its drooping leader. It grows widely along the western side of the Cascades. It is shade tolerant and will come in under exisiting Douglas Firs. It grows slowly initially when growing in shade, but once the tree canopy opens up it will grow much more quickly; this growth pattern is often evident when a tree is cut and tree rings are very narrow in the very center, but wider as the the tree grows more quickly. It is a good choice for adding screening to a shaded wooded area. Western Hemlock is what is known as the Climax species by ecologists for much of our region. It is called the climax species, because in Old Growth Forests, it will come to predominate after Douglas Firs die and fall. It is the tree species that often begins life on “nurse logs;” resulting in older trees found growing in a line as they mature.
