Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)
Conservation • Wetland • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Use • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | not listed |
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Wetland Indicator Status |
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| Great Plains | FACU - Facultative upland |
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| Midwest | FACU - Facultative upland |
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| Northcentral & Northeast | FACU - Facultative upland |
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Description |
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Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir is a medium-sized to large tree. It can be from 40″ to 131″ tall or taller at maturity, though in Minnesota it is rarely exceeds 70″ in height. Principal branches are more or less ascending. Needles are bluish-green to dark green or grayish-green and have a strong odor when crushed. They are borne singly and arranged spirally around the twig. They are not sheathed at the base. Seed cones are 1½″ to 2¾″ long and erect at first, bending downward after pollination. Each scale on the seed cone is subtended by a 3-pronged bract that is longer than and partially obscures the scale. The bract spreads outward and is often bent backward. The cone drops from the tree intact. |
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Height |
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40″ to 131″ |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Coniferous or mixed forests |
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Ecology |
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Pollination |
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Mid-April to late June |
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Pests and Diseases |
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Use |
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Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir is an important timber tree and a popular choice for a Christmas tree. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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| 6/4/2023 | ||||
Nativity |
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Native to Western North America from the Rocky Mountains east to Montana and south to west Texas. Introduced. Occasionally spreads from cultivation. |
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Occurrence |
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Rare in Minnesota |
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Taxonomy |
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| Kingdom | Plantae (green algae and land plants) | ||
| Subkingdom | Viridiplantae (green plants) | ||
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants and green algae) | ||
| Superdivision | Embryophyta (land plants) | ||
| Division | Tracheophyta (vascular plants) | ||
| Subdivision | Spermatophytina (seed plants) | ||
| Class | Pinopsida (conifers) | ||
| Subclass | Pinidae | ||
Order |
Pinales (conifers) | ||
Family |
Pinaceae (pines) | ||
| Subfamily | Laricoideae | ||
Genus |
Pseudotsuga (Douglas-firs) | ||
| Species | Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Pseudotsuga flahaultii Pseudotsuga glauca Pseudotsuga menziesii var. flahaultii Pseudotsuga taxifolia var. glauca Tsuga douglasii var. glauca |
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Common Names |
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blue Douglas-fir Colorado Douglas-fir Douglas-fir inland Douglas-fir Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir |
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Visitor Photos |
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Randy |
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Self-pruning, loose habit |
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Bark |
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Midsummer cones showing characteristic bracts |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Pseudotsuga menziesii Blake C. Willson |
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About
Douglas-fir |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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| Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Blue Douglas Fir) Plantwalks |
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About
Published on Jan 21, 2013 |
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Visitor Sightings |
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| Randy 2015 |
Location: Freeborn County, MN Self-pruning, loose habit |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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Created: 1/1/2017
Last Updated: