Is a Douglas fir a type of fir tree?
Douglas fir trees, which are also called red firs, Oregon pines, and Douglas spruce, are not actually true fir trees, pines trees, or spruce trees. The scientific genus name Pseudotsuga means “false hemlock,” alluding to another kind of tree that Douglas firs are similar too.
Is Douglas fir or cedar better for outdoor use?
Both Douglas fir and cedar are viable options for a variety of outdoor purposes. Douglas fir is stronger than the two and you can use it where you need wood for a long span or hold a heavy load. Cedar on the other hand has high durability and rot resistance due to its high tannin content.
Can you deliver Douglas fir or red cedar?
While we do require generous amounts of lead time on large orders, we are still able to deliver Douglas Fir in stock sizes from either our Maryland headquarters or our West Coast storage facilities. Like Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar comes from the Pacific Northwest of the United States as well as Canada.
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Is Douglas Fir pine or cedar?
The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine.
What kind of tree is Douglas Fir?
evergreen treesDouglas firs are evergreen trees, meaning they keep their needle-like leaves year-round. There are two varieties of this species, coast Douglas fir and Rocky Mountain Douglas fir, which are differentiated by their habitats, growth rates, and physical characteristics.
What is the difference between fir and cedar?
Both cedars and firs are softwood trees, with hardnesses ranging between 320 pounds-force on the Janka hardness scale and 490 pounds-force. On average, cedars are slightly softer. However, cedar significantly outperforms fir in its resistance to decay and wet conditions.
Is a fir tree cedar?
Firs (Abies) are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related to Cedrus (cedar).
What is another name for Douglas fir?
Oregon pinePseudotsuga is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the pine family (Pinaceae). Common names include Douglas fir, Douglas-fir, Douglas tree, and Oregon pine. Pseudotsuga menziesii is widespread in western North America and is an important source of timber.
Why is it called a Douglas fir?
It is a distinct species named after its discoverer Archibald Menzies and a botanist, David Douglas. A major characteristic that distinguishes it from true firs is its cone which falls from the tree intact. Douglas-fir is one of the world's most important and valuable timber trees.
Is Douglas fir and cedar the same?
In fact, they are very similar. They come from the same region of the world, they are both softwoods, they are at a similar price, and they offer excellent benefits for outdoor and indoor use. Douglas fir is stronger and more uniform. Cedar is more resistant, lightweight, and has a deep red color.
How do you make Douglas fir look like cedar?
How to Stain Pine to Match CedarSand the Wood. Sand the pine item with 100-grit sandpaper to smooth the wood, instructs Popular Woodworking. ... Apply the Pine Sealer. ... Add a Second Coat. ... Lay Out a Few Drop Cloths. ... Apply the Stain From Top to Bottom. ... Wait for the Stain to Set. ... Wipe Down the Wood. ... Dry Your Rags.
Are all pine trees cedar?
Not exactly. It's a little more complicated than that. Most simply, they fall under different branches of the same tree family. Cedar trees fall under the genus Cedrus, and pine trees make up the genus Pinus.
How many types of cedar trees are there?
4 typesIntroduction. Many people are surprised to learn that there are only 4 types of true cedars: Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus brevifolia, Cedrus deodara, and Cedrus libani.
What are cedar trees?
Cedrus, common English name cedar, is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae (subfamily Abietoideae). They are native to the mountains of the western Himalayas and the Mediterranean region, occurring at altitudes of 1,500–3,200 m in the Himalayas and 1,000–2,200 m in the Mediterranean.
What type of tree is a fir tree?
coniferfir, (genus Abies), genus of more than 40 species of evergreen trees of the conifer family Pinaceae.
Is Douglas fir the same as pine?
No, Douglas fir isn't the same as pine wood. It's often compared to pine because the two are coniferous softwoods with several similarities. However, the two wood types come from different genera. Douglas fir is from the Pseudotsuga genus, while pine is from the Pinus genus.
Is Douglas fir a hardwood or softwood?
SoftwoodsPine, Douglas Fir, and Cedar are considered Softwoods. Hardwood is a generic term for the scientific name angiosperm. These plants are often deciduous trees that have broad leaves, and carry their seeds in some variation of a nut or fruit.
What is Douglas fir wood good for?
Commonly, Douglas Fir is a species of softwood, but it is also considered to be one of the widely-used types of lumber, especially in fencing, home construction and decking in the United States. It is also popular due to its perfect proportion of weight and strength.
What is Douglas fir most commonly used for?
Douglas-fir is a high-quality wood for the manufacturing of sashes, doors and windows. It is also used to produce a wide variety of products including general millwork, flooring, furniture, cabinets, veneer, vats, ships and boats, transmission poles and marine pilings.
What is the name of the Douglas Fir tree?
For this reason the name is often written as Douglas-fir (a name also used for the genus Pseudotsuga as a whole). The specific epithet menziesii is after Archibald Menzies, a Scottish physician and rival naturalist to David Douglas. Menzies first documented the tree on Vancouver Island in 1791.
What is Douglas Fir?
Douglas-fir seeds are an extremely important food source for small mammals such as moles, shrews, and chipmunks, which consume an estimated 65% of each annual seed crop. The Douglas squirrel harvests and hoards great quantities of Douglas-fir cones, and also consumes mature pollen cones, the inner bark, terminal shoots, and developing young needles.
Why is Douglas Fir called Douglas Fir?
The common name honors David Douglas, a Scottish botanist and collector who first reported the extraordinary nature and potential of the species. The common name is misleading since it is not a true fir, i.e., not a member of the genus Abies. For this reason the name is often written as Douglas-fir (a name also used for the genus Pseudotsuga as a whole).
Where does Pseudotsuga grow?
Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii, the coast Douglas-fir, grows in the coastal regions from west-central British Columbia southward to central California. In Oregon and Washington, its range is continuous from the eastern edge of the Cascades west to the Pacific Coast Ranges and Pacific Ocean.
How long are the leaves of a fir tree?
The leaves are flat, soft, linear needles 2–4 centimetres ( 3⁄4 – 1. +. 1⁄2 in) long, generally resembling those of the firs, occurring singly rather than in fascicles; they completely encircle the branches, which can be useful in recognizing the species.
Where is Douglas Fir native to?
The Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii) is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine.
What is Douglas Fir's food source?
Douglas-fir seeds are an extremely important food source for small mammals such as moles, shrews, and chipmunks, which consume an estimated 65% of each annual seed crop. The Douglas squirrel harvests and hoards great quantities of Douglas-fir cones, and also consumes mature pollen cones, the inner bark, terminal shoots, and developing young needles.
What is Douglas Fir?
Neither species is technically a fir, though; instead, Douglas Firs are commonly considered hemlocks. The straight grain combines yellow earlywood and reddish latewood for a generally orange appearance.
Where does red cedar come from?
Western Red Cedar. Like Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar comes from the Pacific Northwest of the United States as well as Canada. Also like the so-called “fir,” “Red Cedar” is a misnomer, since the species is actually part of the Cypress family.
What is red cedar used for?
Also used for exterior trim and siding, decking, outdoor furniture, and rustic-looking interior millwork, Red Cedar is ideal for applications requiring direct contact with the ground.
What are the two types of Douglas fir trees?
There are two varieties of this species, coast Douglas fir and Rocky Mountain Douglas fir , which are differentiated by their habitats, growth rates, and physical characteristics. When Douglas firs grow in dense forests, they self-prune their lower branches so the conical crown starts many stories above the ground.
Where do Douglas Fir trees grow?
Rocky Mountain Douglas firs are the inland variety that grow in the mountainous Pacific Northwest and in the Rocky Mountains. They are much more tolerant of cold than the coast Douglas fir, which is suited to moist, mild climates on the west coast.
Why are Douglas Firs so popular?
The population of these trees is stable. Many people are familiar with Douglas firs because they are one of several species used as Christmas trees. Aside from their use as holiday decorations, Douglas firs are one of the most valuable timber resources in the country. They’re used for furniture, poles, fences, and flooring, among other things. Although they are harvested extensively for timber, Douglas firs are widespread and aren’t in danger of extinction. However, when the trees are cut down, rare wildlife species like northern spotted owls lose valuable habitat. If stressed, the trees are also susceptible to needle disease and insect problems.
What are Douglas Fir trees susceptible to?
If stressed, the trees are also susceptible to needle disease and insect problems. Fun Fact. Douglas firs were used by Native Americans for building, basketry, and medicinal purposes. Ailments that Douglas firs were used to cure include stomach aches, headaches, rheumatism, and the common cold.
What animals eat Douglas Fir?
Douglas fir seeds provide food for a number of small mammals, including chipmunks, mice, shrews, and red squirrels. Bears eat the sap of these trees. Many songbirds eat the seeds right out of the cone, and raptors, like northern spotted owls, rely on old-growth forests of Douglas firs for cover.
How big do Douglas Fir trees get?
Coast Douglas firs are the faster-growing and larger of the two varieties, and they commonly grow up to 250 feet (76 meters) in old-growth forests and can reach five to six feet (1.5 to 1.8 meters) in diameter. Rocky Mountain Douglas firs measure about the same in diameter but only grow up to 160 feet (49 meters).
Is Douglas Fir a spruce?
Douglas fir, which has sometimes been called the Douglas tree, Oregon pine, and Douglas spruce, is not actually a true fir, a pine, or a spruce. Indicative of the taxonomic confusion about this tree, the scientific genus name Pseudotsuga means “false hemlock,” alluding to yet another kind of tree somewhat similar to this unique but important tree.
Douglas Fir and Red Alder
Like Paper Birch, Red Alder is a member of the birch family, so it seems a likely candidate for association with Douglas Fir. Unlike the Paper Birch however, Red Alder hosts bacteria on its roots that fix nitrogen, and high levels of soil nitrogen may deter mycorrhizas.
Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock
I think it is likely that Douglas Fir can associate with Western Hemlock since some species of mycorrhizal fungi found on the hemlock are also found on the fir. We know Western Hemlocks are shade tolerant, but perhaps part of their ability to grow in the understory of Douglas Firs is due to sugar tapped from the big firs.
Douglas Fir and Western Redcedar
I was surprised to learn that Western Redcedar is unlikely to join in mycorrhizal networks with either Douglas Fir or Western Hemlock because it associates with a completely different group of mycorrhizal fungi.
