Douglas fir
Douglas fir navigation
The majestic Douglas fir is named after Scottish botanist and collector David Douglas. In 1827 he sent the first seed from North America back to Britain.
Its botanical name - Pseudotsuga menziesii pays homage to Archibald Menzies, who discovered the tree in 1791.
Facts and statistics
Here are some interesting facts about Douglas firs.
500 years
Up to 60 metres in Britain.
Soft needles with two grey bands underneath.
Oval shaped cones hang downwards with a three-point bract – a special type of leaf – on every scale.
Red-brown, fissured and corky.
From British Columbia to California.
The Douglas fir is the major timber species in its native North America.
Originally grown in this country for ornamental purposes, it is now a valuable timber tree used for construction and paper pulp. It is also used in some furniture.