West. Larch. Tamarack — (Larix Occidentalis)
Shape narrowly pyramidal; 80-200 ft. tall. Bark very dark, on old trunks becoming bright crimson and divided into huge plates. Branches short, horizontal. Needles in clusters, except on the young growth, from woody knobs, rigid, short, pointed, pale, renewed each spring, falling in winter. Cones many scaled, 1-1½ in. long, with long slender bracts protruding from between the scales. Range: Mts. of B.C. to w. Mont., and s. to the Blue Mts. of Ore. No other American conifer produces such hard, heavy wood; this is terra cotta in hue, valued for house construction and furniture. Aided by the thickness of its bark this tree withstands forest fires better than any other in the West and remains the king of all larches in height and value. The sweet sap, issuing from the tree, is eaten by Indians.
Shape loosely pyramidal; 40-75 ft. tall. Trunk slender. Bark reddish brown, flaky with thin scales. Branches ascending near the top of the tree, the lower down sweeping. Needles fragrant, 4-angled, scarcely more than ½ in. long. Cones 1½-2 in. long, clustered near the summit. Range: Marit. Provs. of Can., N.E., N.Y., s. on the mts. to Pa., and highest peaks of Va. and N. C. Employed for construction, pulp, and flooring, this is also considered the best American wood for resounding boards of musical instruments. WHITE SPRUCE (Picea canadensis) ranges from Labr. to Alaska, s. to N.E., centr. parts of Mich. and Wis., the Black Hills. w. slopes of the Rockies in Can. and Mont. Not a large or valuable tree except for paper pulp, it is the most ornamental eastern spruce. It differs in its smooth twigs and longer cones: the needles are unpleasantly scented.
Shape very narrow, spire-like; 20-90 ft. tall or sometimes a knee-high dwarf even when very old, on the muskeags of the Northwest. Bark grayish brown, flaky, thin-scaly. Branches very short, horizontal or a little down sweeping, lightly up curving at the tips. Needles bluish green with a whitish bloom, ½-¾ in. long, 4-angled. Cones ½-1½ in. long; scales stiff and thin. Range: Throughout the forest belt of Can., except the Rockies, s. to Pa. and thence on the high mts. to N.C., centr. parts of Mich., Wis., Minn. Individually beautiful, this becomes a monotonous and somber tree through the northern interior of the continent. The wood is not useful except for paper pulp, but in that form it is employed by almost every newspaper in the eastern states. Formerly its sap was the basis of chewing gum, before chicle was employed.
Shape a loose open pyramid, spire-like at the summit; up to 200 ft. tall. Trunk massive, often buttressed at the base. Bark broken into large, thin, loose, reddish scales. Branches close, slender, horizontal with rigid leading shoots. Needles flat, ½-1 in. long, silvery white above, often twisted. Cones 2½-4 in. long with stiff scales. Range: Alaska to Mendocino Co. Calif., always near the coast. This, the most important lumber tree of Alaska, is used for interior finish, boat-building, barrels, and packing cases. With its silvery foliage and spire-like growth, it is unsurpassed in beauty by any evergreen. WEEPING SPRUCE (Picea Breweriana) is similar, the needles also flat but not silvery, and the branchlets sharply bent down from the trunk, the lower sweeping to the ground. Mts. of sw. Ore. and adj. Calif.
Shape a symmetrical pagoda-like tapering cone, up to 220 ft. tall. Trunk massive. Bark thin, smooth, whitish-gray, in age deeply furrowed; ridges rounded, with ashy scales. Branches widely spaced, whorled, on old trees the lower sweeping to the ground. Needles flat, pale blue with a bloom. Cones 3-6 in. long, their thin scales overlapping, deciduous. Range: On the Sierra Nevada of Calif. and s. Ore. Also mts. of w. Colo., Utah, Ariz. and N. Mex. ALPINE FIR (Abies lasiocarpa) is almost identical, but the leaves green. Albt. to N. Mex. and Ore. RED FIR (Abies magnifica) reaches 200 ft. height, with majestic lower branches and cones 5-8 in. long. Needles bluish, quadrangular. Cascades of Ore. to Mt. Shasta, and w. slope of the Sierra Nevada, where it forms vast, splendid forests. The wood is moderately valuable for light construction.
Shape pyramidal, up to 70 ft. tall. Trunk slender. Bark grayish brown becoming scaly, with raised blisters containing resin. Branches in whorls, horizontal. Needles appearing all in 1 plane on young or sterile twigs, bristling all around the twig on old and cone-bearing branches, pale below with grayish lines. Cones with sticky, shedding scales. Range: Labr. to James’ Bay and nw. to Mackenzie R., N.E. N.Y. and s. on the mts. to Va. This beautiful, fragrant tree, the finest eastern Christmas tree, is chiefly valuable for its resin and Canada Balsam which is gathered from the stem blisters in summer and used in painting and scientific laboratories. The fragrant needles are put into pillows. On the mts. of N.C. and Tenn. its place is taken by SHE BALSAM (Abies Fraseri) which is similar, but with cones only 1-2 in. long, the fringed bracts showing between the scales.
Shape a broad-based pyramid, the tip feathery; 50-80 ft. tall. Trunk often fluted. Bark reddish to gray brown, with shallow, broad, connecting ridges, somewhat scaly. Branches long, slender, horizontal or drooping at base, ascending near top. Needles all in 1 plane, shining, paler below, flattened, ½ in. long, short-stalked. Cones small, short-stalked, hanging, few-scaled, 3-4 in. long. Range: N.S. to Wis., and Minn., s. to Del. and along the mts. to Ga. The value of this tree lies chiefly in its bark, rich in tannin, though the frail wood is sometimes used in exterior finishing. A lovely ornamental but not so much so as the CAROLINA HEMLOCK (Tsuga caroliniana) in the Blue Ridge from Va. to Ga., which has needles bristling all around the twigs, like a fir, and a very compact, pyramidal, elegant small stature.
Shape broadly pyramidal, becoming narrow in age; up to 200 ft. tall. Bark ridged and ruddy. Branches slender and pendulous, the twigs bright red, upright. Needles spirally arranged around the twigs, curved, acute, round or keeled, slender, light bluish green with whitish lines on both sides, ½-1 in. long. Cones 2-3 in. long. Range: se. Alaska to Marin Co. Calif., s. in the Rockies to Ida. and Mont. The wood is strong, easily worked. The bark is rich in tannin and the inner bark is eaten by Indians. This magnificent tree is the king of hemlocks. MOUNTAIN HEMLOCK (Tsuga Mertensiana) has much the same range and also extends along the w. slopes of the Sierra Nevada. It has cones up to 3 in. long, bright purplish or reddish, and beautiful drooping branches and long thick needles.
Shape with a broad or narrow pyramidal crown; up to 200 ft. tall. Bark smooth, shiny, dark gray-brown; in age deeply fissured, forming broad ridges. Branches: lower drooping, middle and upper ascending. Needles ¾-1¼ in. long. Cones 2-4 in. long with thin scales from which finally protrude the 3-forked bracts. Range: B. C. to centr. Calif. and n. Mex., along the Rockies from Mont. to w. Tex. and N. Mex. This is an important timber tree, especially in Oregon; it is used for all kinds of construction and for ties. For wharf piles it is preferred in all the Pacific ports: it makes spars and masts of unequalled strength. BIG CONE DOUGLAS FIR (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) has much larger cones with scales projecting at right angles from the axis. Mts. of s. Calif.
Shape broadly or narrowly pyramidal, to 150 ft. tall. Trunk massive, buttressed and fluted, becoming hollow with age, and accompanied by outlying “knees” or spongy breathing knobs sometimes 10 ft. tall, and long horizontal surface roots. Bark light cinnamon brown, flaky. Branches erect or spreading, the much forked twigs drooping. Needles falling in autumn. Cones 1 in. long, with thickened woody scales. Range: Swamps near the coast, Gulf States n. to Del., and up the Mississippi to s. Ind. The wood, light brown to very dark, is very durable. This mysterious, very slow growing, very long lived tree is one of the most valuable of American lumber trees. Often gloomy and even unsightly where it forms dense swamps, it can be very lovely when its needles bud out in spring and its lofty feathery summits are seen waving across the everglades and savannahs.
Shape at first broadly spindle, finally clean trunked, ending in a broad, pointed crown. Trunk buttressed, 250-300 ft. tall, greatly swollen at base; above this point 17-34 ft. thick. Bark thick, fibrous, deeply grooved, dark cinnamon-brown, the outer plates dull lavender-gray. Branches short, slender, curving forward and upward on young trees and clothing stem to base; on old trees lofty, large, crooked, drooping at tip. Leaves blue-green, scale-like and overlapping, or, on young or fertile shoots, shorter, bristling. Cones 1-3 in. long, resembling a little pineapple until the scales ultimately spread open. Range: at 5000-8000 ft., w. slopes of the Sierra Nevada in Calif. The wood is very durable and valuable, a dull red brown. This is the noblest, rarest, and most impressive of all timber trees. The maximum number of annual rings counted by reliable observers is about 2,300.
Similar to the preceding but even taller (100-350 ft. or perhaps 400 ft.). Differing also in the trunk which is ultimately clean of branches for 100 ft., and the scale-like or needle-like leaves on the main branches which do not overlap but are irregularly scattered. Cones smaller (¾-1 in. long). Range: N. and centr. Coast Ranges of Calif. Though less restricted in range than the Big Trees, Redwoods do not go far from the influence of the sea fogs along the Pacific coast. The wood is crimson brown, soft, but very durable. This, the tallest tree in the world (some even surpassing the Big Tree in height but not in girth) yields more board feet of timber per individual than any other tree. Though less impressive than the Big Trees, and less long lived (maximum about 1,400 years) Redwoods are far more valuable and of majestic beauty.
Shape narrowly pyramidal, up to 150 ft. tall. Trunk massive, irregularly lobed or fluted. Bark bright cinnamon red broken into irregular ridges covered with scales. Branches erect above, the lower sweeping down in bold curves. Scales light green, long and narrow, often keeled, in opposite pairs, overlapping around the erect twigs (except at their tips) and giving them a square look, becoming woody before falling. Cones made up of 6 scales, the lowest pair bent back, the uppermost united. Range: Cascade Mts. of Ore., inner Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada of Calif. This is a magnificent, aromatic tree, unique in North America, with valuable wood, durable in contact with the soil, and used for fencing, laths, shingles, interior finish, furniture and water flumes.
Shape elongated-pyramidal, up to 120 ft. tall. Bark ashen brown with diagonal ridges. Branches horizontal, repeatedly forking to form flat sprays. Scales closely overlapping the twigs, fragrant, minute, or on leading branches larger and spreading, becoming brown and woody in age. Cones resinous, dryly fleshy. Range: s. Alaska to the Cascade mts. of Ore. The wood, very durable, aromatic, close-grained, clear yellow, is used for shipbuilding. One of the finest timber trees in the world, it has been exported in great quantity especially to China. PORT OXFORD CEDAR (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana) s. Ore. to Humboldt Co., Calif. has distinctly flattened twigs, conspicuous glands on the leaves and deeply furrowed ruddy bark. This mighty tree is sometimes twelve feet thick. The wood is used for flooring, interior finish and shipbuilding.
Shape slenderly conical, 20-90 ft. tall. Bark grayish brown, separating off in shreddy strips, somewhat spirally twisted. Branches short, sparse, slender, horizontal, forking into feathery branchlets. Scales minute, pressed closely to the stem and overlapping, keeled on the back and glandular, spicy-aromatic. Cones gummy, very small, finally opening toward the center into a few thick scales. Range: Swamps from se. Me. to Fla. (but not on the peninsula) and around the coast to Miss. The light ruddy brown, fragrant wood is not strong, but endures moisture eternally; it is used for fence-posts, ties, and shingles. Stumps that have been under water for centuries show no signs of rot. This sad-looking tree forms monotonous low forests in the swamps that would otherwise be useless.
Shape a very compact symmetrical pyramid. up to 70 ft. tall. Trunk often forked and lobed, or buttressed, clothed to the base by the branches. Bark ash gray to light brown, separating into flat shreddy strips, spirally twisted. Branches short, horizontal, or the lowest down sweeping. Scales gray green, closely overlapping and thickly investing every twig to form a beautiful flat forked spray of foliage; each scale with a raised glandular spot which gives off a sweet, camphor-like fragrance. Cones small, about ½ in. long. Ranges swamps from s. Lab. to Man. and Minn., and from Pa. s. on the Appalachians, where very rare. The wood, fragrant, soft and brittle but very durable, is used for fence posts, rails, ties, spools and shingles. This is a superb tree, giving to the bogs of the eastern states much of their charm.
Shape narrowly pyramidal, up to 200 ft. tall. Trunk much buttressed. Bark cinnamon red. Branches clothing the stem to the base, short, horizontal, pendulous at tip. Leaves bright and glossy, in the form of long scales closely investing the twigs, each scale marked by a whitish triangular spot, the needles on vigorous leading shoots often not overlapping but remote, bristling, sharp. Cones little over ½ in. long, elliptic-oblong. Range: Alaska to n. Calif. and Mont. The wood differs from the eastern species in being dull red brown, instead of pale yellow. This is a precious timber tree of the Pacific Northwest. The wood is used for interior finish, fences, shingles. Logs last forever and from them Indians made their village totem poles, their plank lodges and dug-out canoes.
Shape round headed, 20-60 ft. tall. Trunk often forked half way up. Bark cinnamon, fissured and shreddy, with glossy scales. Branches beginning low on the trunk, very large, horizontal. Scales short, overlapping all around the twig, grayish, glandular. Berry resinous, large. Range: Mt. slopes and high prairies from e. Wash. and w. Ida. to San Bernardino Mts. of s. Calif. The wood of this picturesque tree is red, soft, light, durable, used for fences and fuel. Fond of wind-swept crags, “it dies standing and wastes insensibly out of existence like granite, the wind exerting as little control over it alive or dead as it does over a glacial boulder.” (John Muir.) CALIFORNIA JUNIPER (Juniperus californica) is closely similar, but has gray bark, bushy stem, paler needles and a red brown berry with sweet pulp. Centr. and s. Calif.