Life Style / Christmas Trees / Douglas Fir: Douglas-fir is not related to the true firs. This wide ranging species grows from 70 to 250 feet tall. The branches are spreading to drooping, the buds sharply pointed and the bark is very thick, fluted, ridged, rough and dark brown. The needles are dark green or blue green, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, soft to the touch and radiate out in all directions from the branch. They have a sweet fragrance when crushed. Pollen strobili are small and reddish-brown. Young cones are small, oval shaped and hang downward. They are reddish-brown to gray, 3" long and do not dissipate to spread seed as do true firs (Abies sp.). The cones open in the late summer to disperse the seeds and will continue to hang on the trees through the fall. A high quality Douglas fir is hard to find because it doesn't grow in the Northeast. Many Douglas firs on the market are grown in the Western U.S. plantations and may start shedding their needles when exposed to colder winter temperatures because of this the Douglas Fir is more comon on the west coast due to it's warmer climate during the winter months.
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