Canadian hemlock

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Canadian hemlock
Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Canadian hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis )

Systematics
Class : Coniferopsida
Order : Conifers (Coniferales)
Family : Pine family (Pinaceae)
Subfamily : Abietoideae
Genre : Hemlocks ( Tsuga )
Type : Canadian hemlock
Scientific name
Tsuga canadensis
( L. ) Carrière

The Canadian hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), also called Canadian hemlock , is a species of hemlock ( Tsuga ) in the pine family (Pinaceae). In its North American homeland it is the climax tree species . It was introduced to Europe around 1730 and is hardy in Central Europe . It serves as a landmark for the US state of Pennsylvania .

description

Canadian hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis ), illustration
Canadian hemlock in the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania

The Canadian hemlock is an evergreen tree that reaches heights of 20 to 30 meters and, in exceptional cases, trunk diameters of up to 2 meters. It reaches a maximum age of 1000 years. The bark is brownish. The bark of the branches is yellow-brown and hairy. The egg-shaped buds are 1.5 to 2.5 mm in size. The needles of unequal size are arranged tightly and helically on the branch. They are 0.5 to 1.8 inches long and 1 to 2.5 millimeters wide and have a lifespan of around six years. The dark green needles are rounded at the end and have two white stomata bands on the underside . It is typical of the Canadian hemlock that a row of needles grows upside down on the top of the branch.

The Canadian hemlock is single-sexed ( monoecious ). The flowering capacity is reached at 20 to 40 years. The flowering time is in May and the seeds ripen in September to October. The stalked, egg-shaped cones have a length of 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters and a diameter of 1 to 1.5 centimeters. The 1 to 2 millimeter large seeds have a 7 millimeter long wing.

The number of chromosomes is 2n = 24.

Occurrence

Canadian hemlock in Salt Springs State Park, Susquehanna

The distribution area of ​​the Canadian hemlock is in northeastern North America and extends from Minnesota , southern Ontario , southern Québec and Nova Scotia to northern Alabama , northern Georgia and northwestern South Carolina .

The Canadian hemlock prefers to grow on deep, nutrient-rich, well-watered clay soils. It occurs on both basic and acidic substrates. It grows at altitudes from sea level to 1700 meters, especially on shady and humid north and east slopes. It forms pure stands or occurs in mixed forests with white pine ( Pinus strobus ), American red spruce ( Picea rubens ), white spruce ( Picea glauca ) and yellow birch ( Betula alleghaniensis ).

The Canadian Helmlock fir is shade-tolerant. In old age it forms a flat root system close to the surface and is then sensitive to windthrow and fire. In the last few decades the hemlock mealybug ( Adelgas tsugae ) introduced from East Asia has spread rapidly, the infestation of which leads to needle and shoot damage and, after a few years, to the death of the trees.

Taxonomy

The Canadian hemlock ( Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière ) has the following synonyms: Pinus canadensis L. , Abies canadensis (L.) Dum.Cours. nom. illeg., Picea canadensis (L.) Link , Abies americana Mill. , Pinus pendula Sol. ex Salisb. nom. illeg., Abies curvifolia Salisb.

use

The wood of the Canadian hemlock is light and soft. It has a yellowish-white sapwood and a brownish core. It is used as building and construction timber and processed in the paper industry . In its home country it is an important forest tree , in Central Europe it is grown as an ornamental tree . There are over 300 forms of culture for parks and gardens.

Under the name Abies canadensis , a preparation made from the fresh bark and the young, fresh twigs is used in homeopathy against indigestion and stomach ache . According to William Boericke , a dosage in potencies from C1 to C3 is indicated, in Germany potencies in D3 and D6 are more common.

The resin is similar to Canada balsam .

photos

swell

  • Christopher J. Earle: Tsuga canadensis. In: The Gymnosperm Database. May 22, 2011, accessed October 31, 2011 .

Individual evidence

  1. Tsuga canadensis at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
  2. Peter A. Schmidt, Ulrich Hecker: Pocket Lexicon of Woods. A botanical-ecological excursion companion. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2009, ISBN 978-3-494-01448-7 .
  3. Rafaël Govaerts (ed.): Tsuga. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  4. Tsuga canadensis (Abies canadensis). (No longer available online.) World of Medicinal Plants, formerly in the original ; Retrieved October 31, 2011 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archivesInfo: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.heilpflanze-welt.de  
  5. Wolfram Braune, Alfred Leman, Hans Taubert: Plant Anatomical Practical I: 9th Edition, Elsevier / Spectrum, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8274-1742-8 , p. 341.

Web links

Commons : Canadian Hemlock  - Album containing pictures, videos and audio files