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Douglas fir
Habit (mature) · Peter Stevens / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Limited coverage
Douglas fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii
A very large Pacific Northwest conifer — 40-80 feet in cultivation but topping 300 feet in the wild — and one of the most important timber trees in North America. Unique forked, trident-shaped cone bracts that protrude between the scales distinguish it from every other conifer. Flat, spirally-arranged dark green needles are fragrant when bruised and leave raised circular scars on the twigs.
Native: 14 US states + 1 CA province
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: narrow (39/100)
Structure
Focal point
Light
Full sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
480-960" tall · 240" apart
Hardy in zones
4-6
very cold to cold winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Mild
cool to mild summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Native across 15 US states and Canadian provinces — a wide-ranging part of North America's plant communities.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Marginal
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Won't grow here
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
⚠→✕
Marginal today, but likely out of range by 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/douglas-fir
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 2.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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