Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Douglas fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco
Also known as: Oregon pine
Family: Pinaceae
30 to 50 m tall, among the tallest trees grown in Europe
Planted in production forestry, deep, cool soils
Flowering: April – May, inconspicuous
Full sun
Hardy to about -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The Douglas fir cone is recognisable among all conifers by its long, three-pointed, tongue-shaped bracts, which clearly protrude between the scales.
🍃 Leaves
Soft, flat needles, bluish-green, arranged all around the shoot, citrus scent when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Separate male and female cones on the same tree, barely visible
🍎 Fruits
Pendent cone, with long trifid bracts protruding from the scales, very recognisable
🪵 Bark
Grey and smooth on young trees, becoming thick, fissured and reddish-brown with age
🗺️ Distribution
Native to western North America; widely planted in France for forestry, notably in the Massif Central and Brittany
🐝 Value for pollinators
Wind-pollinated, of little interest to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Major reforestation conifer in France for its quality timber and rapid growth
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
🌿 Other Pinaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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