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Step 1
Look at the general appearance of the tree. The young trees have a distinctive conical shape and look just like Christmas trees, in fact, that’s one of the primary uses for Douglas Fir. Older trees stand tall with a long, clear cylindrical trunk and a rounded or flat topped crown.
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Step 2
Look at the cones. The Douglas Fir is not a true fir but a pine tree, consequently, the cones hang down from the branches. If you look closely at the 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-inch long cones you see 3-lobed paper-like bracts protruding from between the scales. No other tree associated with the Douglas Fir has this feature.
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Step 3
Look at the bark. In mature trees, the bark can be a foot thick. Notice the characteristic furrows in the bark running up and down the tree. The very thick bark protects the tree from ground fires.
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Step 4
Observe the twigs and needles. The leaves look like typical pine needles and grow all around the twig at 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches long. They are blunt tipped, yellow-green to bluish-green. Crush the needles in your hand to notice the resinous fragrance.











Comments
showpup said
on 12/4/2007 Very nice article. 5 stars.