Tsuga canadensis

General

Eastern Hemlock is commonly found in moist woods and moist slopes, rocky hillsides and ridges, wooded ravines and stream valleys. It is shade tolerant, and provides cover for deer and other wildlife during the winter. Normally grows to 60-80ft, and the largest on record, known as the Usis Hemlock, from near Cataloochee, NC was 173 ft, but unfortunately sucumbed to hemlock wooly adelgid in 2007. Specimens have been found that were about 800 years old. It is a shallow but widespreading rooter. In winter white-tailed deer browse hemlock heavily.