How Tall Is a Hemlock Tree?

Eastern Hemlock

• The Canadian hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) is also called an eastern hemlock and may grow to between 40 and 70 feet with a spread of between 25 and 35 feet. An evergreen tree, it possesses a slow-to-medium rate of growth, which indicates a tree that will grow less than 2 feet annually. The Canadian hemlock is able to thrive in U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness zones 3 through 8 and appreciates full sunshine as it forms into a pyramidal shape.

Western Hemlock

• The western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) is prolific throughout the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. and may grow in excess of 150 feet, often living for centuries. It thrives in areas with dense shade or rocky soil, making it an extremely adaptable specimen. It initially forms into an upright pyramidal shape, then begins to broaden and droop with maturity. The western hemlock is valued for both its aesthetic appeal and as an important timber.

Problems

• How tall a hemlock tree grows may be affected by environmental concerns and pestilence or disease problems. Planting the tree as a roadside screen can result in damage from winter salt spray. It also does not enjoy wet or poorly drained soils. The hemlock tree can be bothered by insects like the hemlock woolly adelgid, hemlock borer, looper, scale, gypsy moth and the strawberry weevil, in addition to diseases like root rot and various fungi.

Fun Facts

• Tannin in the bark of the hemlock was utilized by Native-Americans and early settlers for its capacity to produce dye and tan leather. Medicinal teas are made from the bark as are ointments for the treatment of scrapes, burns and similar injuries. The tree produces a trunk with a diameter of between 2 and 4 feet and is exceptionally long-lived, with trees in the wild sometimes surviving in excess of 500 years.