Washington tree spotlight: The Douglas fir

The Douglas fir is one of the most iconic trees in Washington. But despite their incredible size, the Douglas fir can be easy to miss as we go about our everyday lives. Learn how to find, identify, and connect with Douglas fir trees near you.

Forests

TPIN Staff | TPIN
Mia Altieri
Mia Altieri

Former Advocate, Environment Washington

From the western red cedars dotting the Puget Sound coastline to the adaptable ponderosa pines throughout the Columbia Basin, Washington State is full of incredible trees. We’re on a mission to highlight the magnificent native trees that call the Evergreen State home. 

With our “tree spotlight” series, you can learn how to identify some of the key tree species in Washington, and discover where in the state you can find them. You can also find fun activities to help you get connected to the incredible pines, cedars, and firs that you see in your everyday life. 

TPIN Staff | TPIN

Douglas firs

The Douglas fir is one of the most iconic trees in the Pacific Northwest. Growing up to three hundred feet tall, the Douglas fir (pseudotsuga menziesii) is a central figure in the lush, evergreen forests of western Washington. With thick, fire-resistant bark and deep green pine needles, the Douglas fir is one of the most common native trees in Washington State. When you think of the classic evergreen tree of the PNW, the Douglas fir is often the one that comes to mind.

Despite its name, the Douglas fir is not a fir tree, but actually the tallest member of the pine family. In fact, the Douglas fir’s scientific name, pseudotsuga, means ‘false’ (pseudo) ‘hemlock’ (tsuga), as the tree is often mistaken for hemlock and fir trees.

These massive evergreen trees keep their needles all year long, and range from British Columbia to Mexico, and from Colorado to the west coast. In Washington, Douglas firs trees prosper in the western and northeastern part of the state. If you’re in western Washington and you see an evergreen tree, chances are that it’s a Douglas fir.

Identifying Douglas firs

So how do you know you’re looking at a Douglas fir? There are a few key indicators to look for when identifying a tree. Keep in mind, identifying a tree using these methods is easiest when looking at a mature tree, as younger trees will have slightly different characteristics.

Needles

First, take a look at the needles. Douglas fir needles are attached to the trees’ outermost twigs, and are usually about one inch long. Douglas fir trees have long, flat needles that grow out from the twig in all directions, like a pipe cleaner. Douglas fir needles are blunt at the ends, and won’t be sharp if you touch the end with a finger.

 

Cones

Next, find a cone. Douglas fir cones are reddish brown, and typically two to four inches long. Cones may be attached to the branches of the tree, or you can usually find some on the ground around the tree. Unlike most fir trees which have cones that break apart on the tree and fall as scales and seeds, cones from Douglas firs fall to the ground whole. Douglas fir cones are also unique from other fir cones because they hang down off of the branches, rather than standing upright. The Douglas fir cones are unique in these ways because the Douglas fir is actually a pine tree, rather than a fir.

The easiest way to identify a Douglas fir cone is by the three-pointed leaflike structures, or “bracts”, that stick out from beneath the cone scales. The bracts of Douglas fir cones are special because they look like the back feet and tail of a mouse sticking out from the scales.

Bark

The next step is to observe the tree bark. Young Douglas fir trees will have gray, smooth bark with horizontal blisters. Older Douglas fir bark is gray, rough, and scaly in texture, with vertical, canyon-like ridges that run up and down the tree. These ridges are deep, and may be brown at the center of the ridge. Douglas firs are considered “pioneer trees” because they are often the only trees remaining after major wildfires, thanks to their thick, fire-resistant bark.

Size and branches

Douglas fir trees can grow to nearly three hundred feet tall, and can live up to a thousand years. These large “conifers” (meaning trees that produce cones) have tall, straight trunks. Lower branches droop down toward the ground, while branches higher up stick out from the trunk and point slightly toward the sky. As the tree ages, it will lose its lower branches, with only the top third of the tree retaining branches. 

Identifying Features

Douglas fir needles

Photo by TPIN Staff | TPIN

Douglas fir cone with distinctive "mouse tail" bracts

Photo by TPIN Staff | TPIN

Douglas fir bark

Photo by TPIN Staff | TPIN

Douglas fir branches

Photo by TPIN Staff | TPIN

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Finding Douglas firs in Washington

In Washington State, there are two varieties of Douglas fir trees – the Rocky Mountain varietal (pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) and the coastal varietal (pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii). As a general rule, the Rocky Mountain varietal is found in eastern Washington, while the coastal varietal is found primarily in western Washington.

Here are a few places where you can find a Douglas fir near you. Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list of Douglas fir locations, and you can find these wonderful trees all over Washington state.

State Parks and Forestland
  • Rockport State Park is located along the Skagit River near Concrete in northwestern Washington. Rockport State Park is well known for its 600 acre old growth forest, which includes Douglas firs. 
  • Rainbow Falls State Park, along the Chehalis River south of Olympia, is home to several stands of old-growth forest, including Douglas firs.
  • Deception Pass State Park, connecting Whidbey Island to Anacortes, is a wonderful place to see coastal Douglas firs that thrive on Washington’s rocky shorelines.  

Find a state park near you

National Parks and Forestland
  • Umatilla National Forest, located in southeastern Washington (and northeastern Oregon) has more than 700 miles of recreational trails, and is composed of a variety of coniferous trees, including grand firs, ponderosa pines, and Douglas firs. 
  • Colville National Forest on the west side of the Selkirk Mountains in northeastern Washington is home to 1.5 million acres of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and redcedar forests. 
  • Olympic National Park is home to the tallest Douglas fir trees in Washington, including several trees over 300 feet tall in the Quinault rainforest which can be seen along the Quinault Loop Trails.

Find national forestland near you

Around your city and neighborhood
  • Seattle Tree Walks, organized by the city of Seattle, offers in-depth neighborhood walking guides with maps and descriptions of local trees. Several of these guides show Douglas firs in the Seattle area.  
  • Tree Walks of Lake Forest Park provide tree walk booklets and self-guided tour instructions to see trees around Lake Forest Park, Washington
  • Finch Arboretum walking guide, in Spokane, Washington, has created a self-guided tree tour of the arboretum, with several incredible pine tree specimens.  

Search for tree tours and walking guides in your city or town to discover the trees that are in your neighborhood.

Trees of Note
  • The Moon Tree on the Washington State Capitol campus in Olympia went to space when it was a seed on the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. You can see this Douglas fir at the corner of Capitol Way and South Diagonal Street
  • Lake Quinault Douglas Fir, the largest known Douglas fir in the world, is more than 300 feet tall and found in the Quinault Natural Resource area. While this particular tree is off-trail, you can see neighboring giants in the area.

Ecological Importance

Washingtonians are lucky to share our state with these incredible trees. Douglas firs provide many ecosystem services that directly benefit people, and the dozens of animal and plant species that coexist with the trees. 

Douglas fir trees in Washington improve air quality, absorb stormwater runoff, prevent soil erosion, mitigate climate change by capturing carbon dioxide, and create biodiverse habitats for plants and animals. In fact, many animals rely on the Douglas fir seeds, needles, and nearby foliage for food, including chickadees, finches, Douglas squirrels, Townsend chipmunks, meadow mice, shrews, Mountain beaver, deer, elk, and rabbits. 

Northern Spotted OwlPhoto by John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS | CC-BY-2.0

Some animals are uniquely dependent on Douglas fir forests. The northern spotted owl, listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, prefer old growth Douglas fir forests because of the high canopy. The red tree vole, found only in the coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest, feeds primarily on Douglas fir needles. These animals, and the delicate ecosystems they rely upon, are deeply intertwined with the Douglas fir. 

As you find and appreciate a Douglas fir near you, take a moment to think about all of the incredible gifts that trees give us on a daily basis: clean air and water, biodiversity protection, and incredible beauty. 

Activities

Here are a few activities that you can do when you find a Douglas fir. 

  • Dissect a Douglas fir cone. Download this activity guide from the City of Portland on dissecting and exploring a Douglas fir cone. The guide helps you identify the cone’s bracts, seeds, and scales, and includes drawing activities.
  • Identify Douglas fir needles. Need help identifying the needles to determine if the tree is a Douglas fir? Pull off a single needle and roll it between your thumb and index finger. If it rolls easily, then the needle has four sides and is likely a spruce. If it is flat and doesn’t roll easily between your fingers, then you’re looking at a Douglas fir tree.
  • Find Douglas fir cone bracts, and read the story of the mouse and the Douglas fir. Douglas fir cones are very unique. They are the only cones in the pacific northwest to have three-pointed bracts, which stick out from beneath the cone scales. Can you find the cone scales, and the three pointed bracts? Here’s a hint: the bracts look like the back legs and tail of a tiny mouse, crawling up under the cone scales. You can read the story about a mouse escaping a wildfire by hiding in a Douglas fir cone here.
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Authors

Mia Altieri

Former Advocate, Environment Washington