Douglas-fir

Can "dead" stumps keep growing?

Have you ever come across a stump that grew a bulging cap on top of the cut surface? How and why does this happen?

How do trees avoid incest?

Aaa-choo! With all that pollen wafting around, how do trees minimize self-pollination? It’s not like a tree can choose its mate …

Douglas-fir dwarf mistletoe

Many Douglas-firs near Lake Chelan are deformed. What is causing this?

Hooray, Douglas-fir cones are back!

Last year, did you notice an absence of new cones on Douglas-firs? The cones are back. Douglas squirrels can rejoice.

Have you ever done restoration work?

Try volunteering on a restoration project. You’ll have a fun and rewarding experience.

New Douglas-fir cones?

Are you seeing new green cones on Douglas-firs this year? I’m not.

What's a maple flower?

Do native maple trees bear flowers? If so, what do they look like? How can I recognize them?

After Snowpocalypse, how are the trees doing?

Here in the Pacific NW, we had an uncommonly cold and snowy February. Did this affect the new buds on trees and shrubs?

Why are Douglas-fir cones falling when they're still green?

Something is causing green Douglas-fir cones to fall from the trees before they are ripe. And, the cones are getting piled up into mounds. Who’s doing this?

What are those tiny brown cones that are covering my driveway?

I’ve been sweeping zillions of tiny, brown, cone-like structures off of my driveway. They are male pollen cones from Douglas-firs, Pseudotsuga menziesii.

Cones on Douglas-firs this year!

Douglas-fir cones are re-appearing again after a year of no cones.

Douglas-fir seeds: a trick question

Let's take apart a Douglas-fir cone with a pair of kitchen shears. What's inside?

For old cones, you'd expect that most or all of the seeds are gone, which is what we find.

What do Douglas-fir seeds look like? How many are there?

And finally, read this for a trick question ...

Abundant Douglas maples?

Have you ever seen Douglas maples in abundance? ... I haven't either, until a recent week-long trip to Cypress Island near Anacortes, Washington.

Missing in action: green cones on Douglas-firs

Where are all the Douglas-fir green cones this year? Is this a sign of trouble?

What is a bract on a cone?

What are those "mousetails" sticking out from Douglas-fir cones? They are called "bracts." Learn about bracts here.

What are female cones and male cones?

What are seed cones? What are pollen cones? Are they different? Learn about cones here.