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Tsuga canadensis
| Common name: |
Canadian Hemlock |
Family: |
Pinaceae |
| Author: |
(L.)Carriè re. |
Botanical references: |
11, 82, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Pinus canadensis (L.), Abies americana (Mill.) |
| Known Hazards: |
None known |
| Range: |
Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Georgia, west to Alberta and Minnesota. |
| Habitat: |
Woods and swampy areas on cool moist sites[21], also in upland forests, often covering the north side of ridges[82]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Abies canadensis[H]
Picea canadensis[G]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Canadian Hemlock [H], Eastern Hemlock [B,FEIS,P,E,DEN1], Hemlock [E], Hemlock Spruce [H], Oostelijke Hemlockspar [D], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
canadensis = northeastern America
cana = grayed due to hairs
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Pinales. Pine family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Nc
Us Us(Amerindian) Us(Appalachia) Us(Indian) Us(Settlers)
|
Physical Characteristics
An evergreen tree growing to 20m by 8m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 4. It is in leaf all year, in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from November to February. The scented flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind.
We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil.
It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Hedge, Woodland, Canopy, Ground Cover.Edible Uses
Condiment
Inner bark Tea.
Inner bark - raw or cooked[213]. Usually harvested in the spring[2], it
can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickening in soups etc
or mixed with cereals when making bread[2, 46, 161]. An emergency food, it is
only used when all else fails[183].
The leaves and twigs yield 'spruce oil', used commercially to flavour
chewing gum, soft drinks, ice cream etc[183].
A herbal tea is made from the young shoot tips[2, 62, 95, 159, 183, 257].
These tips are also an ingredient of 'spruce beer'[183].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Antipruritic
Astringent Diaphoretic Diuretic Skin Styptic.
Canadian hemlock was commonly employed medicinally by several native
North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of
complaints[257]. It is still sometimes used in modern herbalism where it is
valued for its astringent and antiseptic properties.
The bark is rich in tannin and is astringent and antiseptic[222, 254]. A
decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea, colitis, diverticulitis and
cystitis[254]. Externally, it is used as a poultice to cleanse and tighten
bleeding wounds, as a douche to treat excessive vaginal discharge, thrush and
a prolapsed uterus, and as a mouthwash and gargle for gingivitis and sore
throats[222, 254]. The poultice has also been applied to the armpits to treat
itchiness there[257].
The inner bark is diaphoretic and styptic[21, 213, 257]. An infusion is used
in the treatment of colds and abdominal pains[21, 213, 257]. A decoction of
the inner bark has been applied externally in the treatment of eczema and
other skin conditions[257]. The pulverized inner bark has been applied to
cuts and wounds to stop the bleeding[257].
A tea made from the leafy twig tips is used in the treatment of dysentery,
kidney ailments, colds and rheumatism[21, 222, 257]. Externally, it is used
in steam baths for treating colds, rheumatism and to induce sweating[222]. A
decoction of the branches has been boiled down to a syrup or thick paste and
used as a poultice on arthritic joints[257]. A poultice of the crushed branch
tips has been used to treat infections on an infants navel[257].
Hemlock pitch has been used externally as a counter-irritant in the
treatment of rheumatism[213]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Basketry
Dye Ground cover Hedge Resin Rust Tannin Wood.
Yields a resin similar to Abies balsamea, it is gathered by incisions
in the trunk or by boiling the wood[46, 61, 64].
A pitch (called hemlock pitch), is obtained by distillation of the young
branches[46]. 'Oil of Hemlock' is distilled from the young branches according
to another report[82].
The bark contains 8 - 14% tannin[46, 171, 223]. The inner bark is used
according to one report[82].
The inner bark has been used in making baskets[257].
A red to brown dye is obtained from the bark[21, 46, 257]. A red dye is
obtained from the inner bark according to another report[226]. A little rock
dust has been added to act as a mordant when boiling the bark[257].
The boiled bark has been used to make a wash to clean rust off iron and
steel, and to prevent further rusting[257].
Tolerant of light trimming, plants can be grown as a hedge[81]. This species
does not make a good hedge in Britain[200].
Some cultivars can be grown as a ground cover when planted about 1 metre
apart each way[208]. 'Pendula' is slow-growing but makes a very good
cover[208].
Wood - coarse-grained, light, soft, not strong, brittle, not durable
outdoors[21, 46, 61, 82, 171, 229]. Difficult to work because it splits
easily[226]. The wood weighs 26lb per cubic foot[235]. The trees do not
self-prune and so the wood contains numerous remarkably hard knots that can
quickly dull the blade of an axe[226]. A coarse lumber, it is used
occasionally for the outside of buildings[21, 46, 61, 82, 171, 229]. It
should be used with caution as a fuel for outdoor fires because it can
project embers and burning wood several metres from the fire[226].
Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, it thrives best when growing in a deep
well-drained soil in the western parts of Britain where it appreciates the
higher rainfall[11]. However, it succeeds in most soils and positions, being
especially good on acidic sandy soils[81] but also tolerating some lime[11]
so long as there is plenty of humus in the soil[208]. Plants are very shade
tolerant when young, but need more sunlight as they grow older[81, 200].
Plants are thin and poor when grown in dry or exposed places[200].
A slow-growing but long-lived species in the wild, with specimens nearly
1000 years old recorded[229]. It is occasionally planted as a timber tree in
Germany[50]. It is very slow growing in cultivation for the first few years,
it then grows more rapidly with annual shoots up to 60cm long. This rate of
growth soon slows as the tree loses apical dominance and it becomes slow
growing again[185].
Seed production commences around the age of 20 - 40 years, with good crops
produced every 3 - 4 years[229].
The crushed foliage has a sweet lemony scent[185]. Another report says that
it emits the unpleasant smell of hemlock[245].
Many named forms have been selected for their ornamental value[185]. Almost
all of them are dwarf forms[200].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
Propagation
Seed - it germinates better if given a short cold stratification[80,
113] and so is best sown in a cold frame in autumn to late winter. It can
also be sown in early spring, though it might not germinate until after the
next winter. If there is sufficient seed, an outdoor sowing can be made in
spring[78]. Pot-grown seedlings are best potted up into individual pots once
they are large enough to handle - grow them on in a cold frame and plant them
out in early summer of the following year. Trees transplant well when they
are up to 80cm tall, but they are best put in their final positions when they
are about 30 - 45 cm or less tall, this is usually when they are about 5 - 8
years old[200]. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth
for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind
resistance[200].
Scent
-
Leaves: Crushed
- The crushed foliage has a sweet lemony scent[185]. Another report says that it emits the unpleasant smell of hemlock[245].
Cultivars
- 'Pendula'
- A slow-growing pendulous form that makes a good ground cover when planted about 1 metre apart each way[208].
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
PFAF Web Pages
This plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
- [DEN] Data _ Photos
(Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
References for Pinus canadensis (a possible synonym).
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
References for the family Pinaceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.
[64] Howes. F. N. Vegetable Gums and Resins. Faber
A very good book dealing with the subject in a readable way.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.
[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.
[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
[95] Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976 ISBN 0-486-23310-3
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[159] McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
[161] Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.
A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.
[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[223] Rottsieper. E.H.W. Vegetable Tannins The Forestal Land, Timber and Railways Co. Ltd. 1946
A fairly detailed treatise on the major sources of vegetable tannins.
[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.
[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[235] Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
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