Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the subfamily Abietoideae of Pinaceae , the pine kinsfolk . The English - language common name “ Conium maculatum ” arose from a perceive law of similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison Conium maculatum . Unlike the latter , Tsuga coinage are not poisonous .
hemlock are often marvellous , with a conical shape when young , becoming more irregular as they age . The branch stem horizontally from the trunk and are usually arranged in flattened sprays that bend downward towards their summit . The young sprig , as well as the distal portions of stem , are flexible and often pendent . The stems are rough with pulvini that persevere after the leaves free fall . The winter bud are egg-shaped or globose , usually rounded at the solar apex and not resinous .
Hemlock trees have short , flavourless needles that are dark unripened on top with two bloodless bands underneath . Unlike some other conifers , the needle are usually arrange in a insipid spray . They produce belittled , pendulous cones . The sizing and shape of these cones can assist in identifying the mintage . The bark is often leprose or deeply chamfer , especially as the tree diagram ages , with a reddish - brown to grey color .
Hemlocks provide critical habitat for various wildlife species . Their dense canopy offer shelter , and in riparian zone , they help in asseverate water temperature for aquatic life like trout . The woodwind from poison hemlock trees is used for pulp magazine , construction , and sometimes for making boxes or pallets due to its light weight and relative strength .
Hemlocks generally choose climates with adequate wet , often in regions with significant rainfall or in areas where daze put up to humidness . Many hemlock population , particularly in North America , are under threat from pests like the hemlock tree woolly adelgid , which has led to significant preservation effort to preserve these tree .
Hemlock Trees (Distribution, Habitat & Pictures)
North America
Eastern Hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ):
Carolina Hemlock ( Tsuga caroliniana ):
Western Hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla ):
Mountain Hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana ):
Asia
northerly Japanese Hemlock ( Tsuga diversifolia ):
Southern Japanese Hemlock ( Tsuga sieboldii ):
Himalayan Hemlock ( Tsuga dumosa ):
Chinese Hemlock ( Tsuga chinensis ):
Taiwan Hemlock ( Tsuga formosana ):
Korean Hemlock ( Tsuga koreana )
Ulmer ’s Hemlock ( Tsuga ulleungensis )
Black Hemlock ( Tsuga forrestii )
