Species:

(Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.)
-> Genus: Tsuga (Tsuga) -> Family: Pinaceae (Pinaceae) -> Group: Gymnosperms

Habitus

  • wood growing to a height of 10 - 20 m
  • crown narrow, conical, branches slightly overhanging
  • bork grey-brown to brown, cracked into shorter longitudinal plates

Leaves (assimilation organs)

  • assimilation organs are needle-like
  • needles (leaves) are relatively short 10 - 13 x 1.5 - 2 mm in size, spirally arranged on the twig, grow on short petioles, stand on all sides
  • needles are solidly edged, on the upper side dark green, shiny, on the lower side with two distinctly white bands of stomata
  • at the end they are rounded or slightly cut

Flowers

  • wood monoecious, flowers of different sexes
  • ♂ cones are ovoid to spherical, 2 - 3 mm in size , first purple, later yellow, grow at the end of last year's shoots
  • ♀ cones are greenish to reddish, ovoid, 3 - 5 mm in size, grow at the end of shoots
  • it blooms III – IV

Fruits – seeds

  • fruit is a cone, oblong-ovoid, 2.5 - 4 x 1.5 - 2 cm large, stalked, light brown when ripe
  • the seed scales are rounded at the end, when ripe they open wide apart
  • the seed is brown, ovoid, 3 - 4 mm large with a firmly attached with approx. 15 mm long, membranous  wings

Extension

  • North America, the center of distribution is the Appalachian Mountains at altitudes of 600 - 1,500 m above the sea level.
  • creates mixed stands with Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), Scots pine (Pinus strobus) with oaks and other trees.

Ecology

  • wood that is not demanding on the quality of the soil
  • grows on rocky mountain slopes and in ravines
  • tolerates shade
  • more demanding on higher soil and air humidity

Significance

  • an ornamental evergreen tree in parks and gardens
  • produces several cultivars