Carolina hemlock is a native, perennial, needled evergreen tree in the pine family (Pinaceae) that grows 30 to 70 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide, It is found along cliffs and ridges from the Blue Ridge mountains to eastern Tennessee. It can grow in partial to full shade with moist, well-drained soil, thriving in the cool, shady areas. It is not drought tolerant and will need to be watered regularly, especially in dry conditions. It needs protection from wind and hot weather to prevent foliage scorching. Propagate by seed. This tree was used for medicinal purposes as well as basketry and building material by Cherokee people. It works well as a screen or hedge on a slope or in a recreational play or woodland area. Plant it also in a children’s, shade, native or winter garden. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Healthy trees in the right location have few problems and are easily maintained. However, it is susceptible to hemlock woolly adelgid and is becoming rare in western NC. Other insect problems include ambrosia beetle, bagworms, borers, leaf miner, sawfly and mites. Potential disease problems for plants in the genus Tsuga include needle blight, canker, rusts and rots.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Pyramidal; Weeping
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green; White
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Acicular; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Fragrant; Long-lasting
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
.25 to .75 in. needles radiate around the stem, 2 white strips of stomata on the underside. The leaves are longer and more whorled than T. canadensis. Smell of tangerines when crushed
Flower detail
No flowers
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
1 to 1.5 in. cones with narrow scales. Longer than cones from T. canadensis. Young cones are green and mature to light brown with scales opening at right angles.
Bark color
Light Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
The bark is reddish-brown and becomes fissured between scaly ridges
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Stout branches are horizontal and often pendulous. Shoots are red-brown to orange-brown and finely hairy, buds small and round.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Wildlife value
Seeds are a food source for birds.
Attracts
Songbirds
Play value
Pieces Used in Games; Screening; Shade; Wildlife Cover/Habitat; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Uses (ethnobotany)
This tree was used for medicinal purposes as well as basketry and building material by Cherokee people.