Weeping Hemlock Varieties - Information About Weeping Hemlock Trees

How do you identify a hemlock tree?

Needles are flat, not round and they are attached individually to the branch, not in bunches like pine trees. Needles have two white “racing stripes” on the underside. Hemlock trees are dark green (and often appear darker than pines) and have somewhat droopy, lacy-looking branches.

How do you prune a weeping hemlock?

Select the branches before you start trimming so that you do not over prune the tree accidentally. Then make your pruning cuts just above the needle whorls. Hemlock trees will grow new branches from the needle whorls, and pruning just above them will ensure that the new branches come in properly.

What is the characteristic of a hemlock tree?

A true hemlock is a tall pyramidal tree with purplish or reddish brown bark, slender horizontal or drooping branches, and short blunt leaves that grow from woody cushionlike structures on the twigs. The small cones hang from the branch tips and retain their scales when they fall. Each scale bears two winged seeds.

How long does it take for a hemlock tree to grow?

Tsuga canadensis (L. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), also called Canada hemlock or hemlock spruce, is a slow-growing long-lived tree which unlike many trees grows well in shade. It may take 250 to 300 years to reach maturity and may live for 800 years or more.

Are hemlock trees poisonous to dogs?

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is an extremely poisonous plant that could be fatal to your dog if any part of the plant is ingested. The plant often grows in wet ground, and is especially common in North America and Europe.

Is Hemlock poisonous to humans?

Toxicity. Poison-hemlock is acutely toxic to people and animals, with symptoms appearing 20 minutes to three hours after ingestion. All parts of the plant are poisonous and even the dead canes remain toxic for up to three years.

Can you trim a hemlock tree?

A: Hemlocks tolerate trimming and shearing better than most evergreens. The ideal time is the end of winter, just before new growth begins. You could trim in winter, but the more you cut, the barer it'll look for a longer period of time until new growth resumes again in spring to fill in.

How do you propagate hemlock trees?

Hemlock can be easily propagated, either by seed or by cutting.

By Seed. Hemlock seeds should be sown in the fall so they can spend the winter outside in the soil. ...
Planting Bed. A planting bed should be prepared outside with well drained but fertile soil. ...
Spring Germination. ...
By Cutting. ...
Rooting Hormone. ...
Rooting.

Is Eastern hemlock edible?

The hemlock poison that Socrates drank (and what a horrible death it was) came from an herb, also called "hemlock." There is nothing toxic about a hemlock tree. In fact, its edible (digestible) parts contain carbohydrates, fats, protein, phosphorous, iron, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin.

What are hemlock trees used for?

Eastern hemlock is used primarily for lumber and paper pulp. About three-fourths of the hemlock lumber produced is used for light framing, sheathing, roofing, and subflooring.

Is Hemlock a pine?

Hemlock is evergreen tree that belongs to the pine family. There are around 10 species of hemlock that are native to America (4 species) and Asia (remaining 6 species). Hemlock inhabits dense, moist habitats that are characterized by dry, rocky soil.

What kinds of tree is Hemlock?

Answer. Answer: A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with small white flowers. The poet Robert Frost, didn't choose to use a maple, oak or a pine tree, he chose the hemlock tree and left all the beautiful trees to present his mood and feelings.

Can hemlock grow in shade?

This large tree can also be kept short with pruning. Canadian hemlock requires moist, acidic soil with good drainage. It can be grown in full sun or shade.

Do hemlock trees have deep roots?

Though the various species of hemlock have a number of different root system types, the two most common are taproot and fibrous roots. ... The taproot digs deep and is thicker than the small roots surrounding it. These small roots branch laterally in the soil. Small roots also grow directly from the taproot.

Can hemlock kill you?

The poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.) is a dangerous plant that grows throughout the United States. ... All parts of this plant contain toxic alkaloids that can be fatal even in small amounts. The alkaloids can affect nerve impulse transmission to your muscles, eventually killing you through respiratory failure.

Is water hemlock poisonous to dogs?

Toxicity to pets

Water hemlock contains the toxins cicutoxin and cicutol, which affect the neurons in the brain and central nervous system. All parts of the plant are poisonous, with the roots containing the highest concentration of the toxin.

Are hemlock pine cones poisonous?

Hemlock pine cones are not poisonous in general. ... Poisonous hemlock is a herbaceous plant related to carrots that lives in Europe and was used by the Greeks to produce a poisonous extract used to kill prisoners including Socrates and in Shakespear's play when poured in the ear of Hamlet's father, killing him.

Is Western hemlock poisonous?

It is very toxic and sheep, cattle, swine, horses, and other domestic animals are poisoned by eating small amounts of green or dried plant. It is also extremely poisonous to humans. Poison-hemlock is sometimes confused with western water hemlock, a more deadly species, because the names are similar.

How do you kill a poison hemlock plant?

Small stands of poison hemlock can be controlled through hand removal. Plants should be dug, taking care to remove the entire long taproot. Plant parts should be disposed of responsibly, as plant parts remain poisonous even after dried.

What animal eats hemlock?

Red squirrels and mice chew off the scales of the tiny hemlock cones to get at the seeds underneath. Deer will also eat hemlock foliage and twigs as high up as they can reach. Porcupines prefer hemlock and will eat the bark and chew off large twigs.

What is the most poisonous plant in the world?

This is what earns the castor oil plant its reputation as the world's most poisonous. After the laxative oil has been extracted the remaining residues of its mottled brown seeds contain a potent cocktail of toxins. Ricin kills by interfering in cell metabolism, the basic chemical processes needed to sustain life.