Douglas Fir

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

Natural History

Douglas Fir is a member of the Pine Family. It appears as a conical shaped tree and can grow to 130 feet

in height in Arizona (taller in other parts of its range, such as the Pacific Northwest). Trunks can grow to 6 feet in diameter, but are usually smaller in AZ. The bark is dark reddish brown and is thick with deep furrows. The needles of the tree are bluish-green, flat and soft and grow in all directions from the branch to 1.2 inches in length. The cones are reddish-brown and thin with rounded scales to 3 inches in length. The tree grows in pine forests at elevations between 6500 - 10000 feet, though can grow at elevations down to 5000 feet in some canyons.

The Douglas Fir is the largest tree in Arizona.

Douglas Fir was prized by Hopi Indians who travelled long distances to collect the boughs and branches.

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