Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

soft needles of the eastern hemlock in a pointed shape
“Eastern Hemlock” by Dendroica cerulea, via Flickr. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
a forest of tall eastern hemlock
“Forest of Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)” by Joshua Mayer, via Flickr. (cropped from original) CC BY-SA 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: fruit supports birds and mammals, browsers feed on foliage, and habitat to various animals through shade and snow protection

Season of Interest: year-round

Best Areas for Planting: moist, well-drained soils, full sun-full shade

Natural Habitat: can be found in various kinds of forests

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.