Pennsylvania State Tree
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(Tsuga canadensis)
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Eastern Hemlock grow in every county in Pennsylvania, but is most common in mountainous regions.
They can grow to a height of more than one hundred feet. Hemlock was pronounced the most picturesque and beautiful of the world's evergreens by A. J. Downing, the father of landscape gardening in America. Trees growing in the open form conical crowns of dense foliage with branches down to the ground. Hemlocks are often planted as ornamentals. In 1927, the Pennsylvania legislature debated the merits of the tulip poplar tree. A large number of residents wanted it adopted as the state tree, with its blossoms the state flower. But the legislature nixed the tulip poplar. The tree's scarcity in northern Pennsylvania might have played a role in their decision. In 1931, Pennsylvania lawmakers were again asked to rule on a state tree. After considerable debate, the hemlock was adopted on June 22, along with a state bird. The Hemlock is the most typical tree in Pennsylvania forests. It was used by the early settlers to build their log cabins. The Hemlock offers shelter from the weather and homes for many animals. A large, long-lived tree, important for construction timber and as a source of tannic acid for tanning leather. Hemlocks are often found growing on inclines, near rushing water, with their roots straddling rocks. They also tend to grow in groves, creating deep year-round shade that prevents most other plants from growing beneath them. Although the wood is of poor quality and knotty, the lumber is used for pulp and railroad ties. |
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