Hemlock 'Canadian'
Hemlock 'Canadian'
Hemlock 'Canadian'

Hemlock 'Canadian'

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$29.99
Title

Often hailed as the most graceful of all conifers, the Eastern Hemlock features a soft, feathery texture that brings a touch of woodland magic to any landscape. Its delicate, lacy branches arch elegantly, with pendulous tips that sway gently in the breeze. The short, glossy needles are a deep forest green on top with two shimmering silver bands underneath, creating a subtle frosted glow. Its stately pyramidal form provides a lush, year-round screen of velvety green.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

40–70' H x 25–35' W

Zone:

3-7

Watering:

Medium

Foliage Type:

Evergreen

Growth Rate:

Slow - Moderate

Light:

Full Sun/Full Shade

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Canadian Hemlock, Eastern Hemlock, Hemlock Spruce

Scientific Name:

Tsuga canadensis

Type:

Ornamental Evergreen Tree / Native Conifer

Growth Details:

  • Mature Size: Typically 40–70 feet tall and 20–40 feet wide.
  • Growth Habit / Form: Broadly pyramidal or conical with a slender, drooping leader.
  • Growth Rate: Slow to moderate (roughly 12–24 inches per year).
  • Longevity: Remarkable longevity; can live for over 500–800 years in ideal forest conditions.

Environmental Needs:

  • Exposure: Full sun, partial shade, or full shade (best in sheltered, cool locations).
  • Soil Preferences: Prefers organically rich, loamy, and acidic soils.
  • Soil Tolerance: Adaptable to sand and some clay but requires excellent drainage.
  • Watering: Needs regular deep watering, particularly during hot summer dry spells.

Special Features:

  • Disease Resistances: Susceptible to Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) and sunscorch.
  • Native Species: Native to the boreal and Appalachian forests of North America.
  • Attracts: Provides critical nesting sites and winter cover for songbirds, owls, and small mammals.
  • Fragrance: Foliage has a pleasant, sweet lemony aroma when crushed. 
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

  • Bloom Information: Non-flowering; produces small, yellow-male and green-female cones in May.
  • Fall/Winter Interest: Small, light-brown ovoid cones (under 1 inch) hang from twig tips throughout winter.
  • Bark: Thick, ridged, gray-brown bark adds rugged winter texture to mature trees.
  • Evergreen Interest: Holds its deep green foliage color perfectly year-round.

Garden Value:

Exceptional for use as a specimen focal point, a dense privacy screen, or a tall formal hedge. Its unparalleled shade tolerance makes it perfect for understory planting and woodland garden edges.

Wildlife & Human Value:

  • Wildlife Value: Seeds are a food source for finches and crossbills; provides thermal cover for wildlife in winter.
  • Human Value: Historically used for leather tanning (bark) and brewing vitamin C-rich tea (needles); provides superior noise and wind reduction. 

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

  • Best Time To Plant: Early spring.
  • Spacing: 30–40 feet apart for individual trees; 3–4 feet apart for a formal hedge.
  • Location Tips: Site in a sheltered area away from strong, drying winter winds and winter salt spray. Ensure excellent drainage to avoid root rot.

Care:

  • Light Requirements: Highly versatile; thrives in full sun to full shade.
  • Moisture Requirements: Requires consistently moist, well-drained soil; highly intolerant of drought.
  • Maintenance, Fertilization: Low maintenance; typically requires no pruning unless being kept as a formal hedge. Apply a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer once a year in early spring once established.

Tolerances:

Heavy shade, deer (somewhat), black walnut, and limestone soils.

Tips For Success:

Apply a thick layer of organic mulch to keep the root zone cool and preserve moisture. Avoid planting as a windbreak in extremely exposed sites.
Fruit Profile