Muskingum Soil and Water Conservation District - Douglas Fir

Good morning Muskingum County! Today we will be focusing on the Douglas Fir, the first of our trees that we have for sale as part of our 2019 tree sale.

Not considered a true fir and sometimes referred to as a false hemlock, the Douglas Fir is native to a large swath of the western US and Canada. It is a large tree, growing from between 50-70 feet tall. The Douglas Fir is reasonably picky about its growing location and for optimum growth should be planted in a well-drained sandy loam soil. They do not tolerate wet feet or heavy soils and should be watered during extreme drought. The Douglas Fir is one of the more popular species of Christmas Tree with beautiful dark green-blue green flattened, flexible needles that emit a sweet fragrance when handled and when cut, their needle retention is excellent. For commercial growth, they require good management, especially when young as they do not tolerate high weeds and they are sensitive to spring frost damage. Plantings should occur outside of frost pockets or areas with poor air drainage. They are a popular tree for wildlife, commonly browsed by deer, rabbit, squirrel, and mice. The seeds of Douglas fir are a good food source for a number of birds that overwinter in our area. The Douglas Fir is an excellent specimen for windbreak and soil erosion, acting as a restorer for eroded soils.