Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

Taxonomy

Division:
Coniferophyta | - Conifers
Family:
Pinaceae
Genus:
Tsuga
Species:
Tsuga canadensis

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
More than 40 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr
Bloom Colors:
Yellow

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Black zigzag (Panthea acronyctoides), Canadian Melanolophia (Melanolophia canadaria), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Chloropteryx tepperaria, Coleotechnites apicitripunctella, Coleotechnites macleodi, Columbia silk moth (Hyalophora columbia), Curve-lined looper (Lambdina fervidaria), Dasychira grisefacta, Eastern blackheaded budworm (Acleris variana), Eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia), Eucosma tocullionana, Eupithecia annulata, Eupithecia filmata, Eupithecia luteata, Eupithecia palpata, False hemlock looper (Nepytia canosaria), Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata), four-spotted fungus moth (Metalectra quadrisignata), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Jocose Sallow (Feralia jocosa), Larch Pug (Eupithecia lariciata), Larch Tolype (Tolype laricis), Marathyssa basalis, mottled gray carpet moth (Cladara limitaria), Mournful Thorn (Lambdina fiscellaria), Nameless Pinion (Lithophane innominata), Northern Pine Tussock Moth (Dasychira plagiata), orange tortrix moth (Argyrotaenia citrana), Pine Hypagyrtis Moth (Hypagyrtis piniata), Porcelain Gray (Protoboarmia porcelaria), powdered eufidonia (Eufidonia notataria), Ruby Quaker (Orthosia rubescens), Semiothisa fissinotata, Semiothisa granitata, southern nepytia (Nepytia semiclusaria), tawny brown carpet moth (Anacamptodes ephyraria), Variable Carpet Moth (Anticlea vasiliata), Variable Climbing Cutworm (Xestia elimata), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), variegated midget (Elaphria versicolor), white slant-line (Tetracis cachexiata), white-fringed emerald (Nemoria mimosaria), Xestia praevia

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
4.5 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Prefers cool, shaded environments

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 0 to 120 days.

Source: npn.rngr.net