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The Douglas-fir has been the major Christmas tree species used in the
Pacific Northwest since the 1920's. Nationally, it remains one of the
most popular Christmas trees species. It is shipped to the majority of
the states and is also exported to the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and some
Asian markets. The needles are dark green or blue green, 1 to 1 1/2 inches
long, soft to the touch and radiate out in all directions from the branch.
They have a sweet fragrance when crushed. Under natural conditions, Douglas-fir
has established primarily after fires on wetter sites. The trees can live
for a thousand years, largely due to a very thick bark that allows them
to survive moderate fires. Thus many ancient old-growth forests contain
large Douglas-fir that represent the legacy of fires that occurred many
centuries ago. |