Michigan shares many types of conifer trees with the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States and Canada. The following photo essay features identification information, photos and interesting facts about three special conifer trees of Michigan in the following order: the Hemlock, Tamarack (Larch) and Balsam Fir trees.

• For information about the 5 most common Pine trees of Michigan, click HERE.
• For information about the 4 most common Spruce trees of Michigan, click HERE.
• For information about the 2 most common Cedar trees of Michigan, click HERE
• Or simply keep scrolling if searching from the “Categories List of Conifers”

Eastern Hemlock Tree (Tsuga canadensis)

Michigan native, the Eastern Hemlock is special in several ways including the tree’s size, special traits and history. Beginning with size, the Hemlock is a large conifer tree reaching an average of 65 feet to 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) high with an approximate spread of 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 meters) wide. It has been called the Redwood of the East for its large stature where exceptional trees have been recorded reaching up to 180 feet (54 meters) tall. Michigan Big Tree: 140 feet (42 meters) in height, Marquette County. The Eastern Hemlock is very slow growing but is a very long-lived tree (600 plus years), another trait that makes this tree special.

• The Eastern Hemlock trees grow straight trunks and slender flexible branches that form flat sprays, drooping at the ends; the leader shoot droops slightly. Mature trees form a massive pyramidal, ragged crown of densely foliated branches; the trunk is markedly tapered, narrowing on the upper portion of tall trees. Lower branches persist near the ground in open locations.

Habitat and Preferences – The Eastern Hemlock tree thrives in cool, moist, highly acidic sites where it is typically associated with yellow birch; occurs in low ridges where sandy soils are too infertile for hardwoods or upland areas where heavy soils impede downward water movement or lowland areas with a relatively high water table. It occurs singly or in groups in stands of northern hardwoods (sugar maple, beech, basswood, yellow birch, red maple); it is rarely found in pure stands.

• Often is the dominant conifer along stream banks and the lower slopes of hillsides, is highly shade tolerant, and may exist in shaded forests up to 50 to 100 years or more, gradually reaching the overstory. Another common name is Canada Hemlock, which is referenced in the scientific name.

Eastern Hemlock Tree Leaves (Needles) are glossy, flexible and dark green on the topside, measuring roughly .7 inches (1.4 cm) long. Needles are arranged spirally around the shoot, sometimes appearing twisted. The unique needles compared to other conifers are flat with rounded tips, and the blade narrows abruptly at the base to a short thread like petiole (attachment).

Eastern Hemlock needles undersides show conspicuous white bands of stomata (pores that facilitate gas exchange while retaining water and facilitating photosynthesis); needles persist on the tree for approximately three years.

The Eastern Hemlock is monoecious, meaning possessing both male and female pollinators. The tiny male pollen cones are attached to the axils (crotch where a leaf meets the stem). Appearing in spring, the male pollen cones have a short stalk, are light-yellow and are filled with clusters of pollen scales that pollinate the female seed cones by wind or animal disturbances.

Eastern Hemlock branches tend to droop at the ends and tiny cones face downwards from the tips of stems. The twig stems are pale brown with tiny hairs appearing on the new growth, but later lose hairs in the autumn and winter.

The tiny female seed cones of the Eastern Hemlock measure from .5 to .8 inches (1 to 2 cm) long, ripening in autumn of the first season, turning reddish brown. Margins of scales are rounded and smooth or faintly toothed.

The Eastern Hemlock tree bark is thick, reddish-brown or gray and is deeply divided into broad, flat-topped scaly ridges.

Historical Significance of the Eastern Hemlock Tree in Michigan and North America

At the turn of the century, settlers extracted tannic acid from the bark of the Eastern Hemlock trees used to tan animal hides for leather making. Tanneries popped up in Michigan and many other eastern regions of the United States. Communities grew around the Hemlock forests as it was easier and less expensive to transport the hides than to transport the heavy bark. The work was hard manual labor. People living next to a tannery endured the constant stench of curing leather and stagnant pools of waste material. Streams became heavily polluted as tanning liquors, lime solutions, flesh, and hair were discharged directly into them. Hillsides with wasted, dead, rotting wood tarnished the beauty of the environment. With the introduction of other methods for tanning hides, the tanbark industry disappeared.

Today, the Hemlock tree is no longer as common in Michigan, in part due to the heavy cutting during the heyday of the tanbark industry. Despite all of this, in some regions, the Eastern Hemlock has made a comeback. I can vouch for this, an old tannery used to be a mile from my home along a creek that flows into Lake Michigan where, today, many Hemlocks are seen thriving. Also today, the timber is harvested for lumber and wood pulp and supports an abundance of wildlife.

Eastern or American Tamarack “Larch” Tree (Larix laricina)

The Tamarack tree is special because of several unique traits, but mainy because it is a deciduous conifer, meaning, it is a cone-bearing tree that sheds all of its needles every autumn, but also puts on a beautiful display of color before it sheds its needles!

Tamarack “Larch” Tree Size and Shape

• The Tamarack or Eastern Larch is a fast-growing medium sized tree reaching from 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 meters) in height with a spread of 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 meters) wide. Michigan Big Tree: 69 feet (21 meters) long, Lake County.
• The Tamarack has a straight trunk of little taper, forming an open, pyramidal crown of horizontal branches; in closed stands the crown narrows. It is shade intolerant and is a relatively short-lived tree.

Habitat – The native Larch “Tamarack” tree is primarily relegated to cold, wet, poorly drained sites including swamps, bogs, lakeshores or wet beach thickets because it can’t compete with other species that are more vigorous and better competitors on the drier, more nutrient-rich upland sites. It is seen most commonly along the forest edge or sphagnum bogs associated with Black Spruce.

Note: European and Japanese varieties, “Larix decidua” and “Larix leptolepis” have been planted in Michigan as ornamentals and in forest plantations for faster stouter growth habit.

The long slender flexible branches are also a unique feature of the Larch tree showing orange-brown stems, turned dark brown, supporting the lengthy needle clusters dangling freely in the wind.

Tamarack “Larch” Tree Leaves (Needles) also display unique traits compared to other conifers. They are light green in color measuring from 1 to 2.5 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long. The needles are slender, soft, flexible and needle-like growing in bundles of 10 to 20 from a single short spur. They are also uniquely one of the few deciduous conifers in the forest losing needles in the fall following the seasonal color change of striking orange-yellow tones.

Tamarack “Larch” tree pollen cones are male pollinators releasing pollen to the female seed cones by wind or animal disturbance, typically in May. The male pollen cones of the Larch tree are composed of yellow-gold clusters consisting of many short-stalked scales and are spirally arranged about the twig.

The Larch “Tamarack” tree female seed cones are small and globular to egg shaped measuring 1/2 to 3 inch (1.3 to 7.5 cm) long; are arranged spirally around branches of the upper crown; purple at first, then greenish turning brown at ripening in autumn of the first season; persistent on the tree for a year. Scale margins are smooth and curved; bracts (thin protectors) are not visible as with some larch varieties.

Tamarack (Eastern or American Larch) tree bark is thin, scaly, with long irregular strips; colored brownish-gray with dark reddish inner bark.

Historical Significance of the Tamarack “Larch” Tree in North America

This ancient, cold-tolerant deciduous conifer tree dates back 65 million years. Valued by Indigenous peoples for its flexible, durable wood and roots used in snowshoes, canoes, and medicine, the tree was essential for early settlers’ shipbuilding and infrastructure. Known for its fall color change and bog-dwelling nature, it still thrives today in northern North America. 

Balsam Fir Tree (Abies balsamea)

Balsam Fir is the only true native fir tree in Michigan commonly found in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula. It is renowned as a premier Christmas tree for its long persistent needles that are not readily shed and superior spicey scent. It is exceptionally hardy in cold climates and recognized by its narrow, pyramidal shape and flat, deep-green needles with “racing stripes,” and upright, purplish-brown cones. 

Balsam Fir Tree Habitat

Characteristic of the cold, wet Boreal Forest of Canada, but occurs in a variety of sites native to Michigan from cold, poorly drained swamps to well drained uplands. The tree is less tolerant of poorly drained condition, and is more tolerant of warmer and drier climates than the spruces; is more common in the northern regions of the state. This tree is highly shade tolerant where seedlings are often found in the understory.

Balsam Fir Tree Size and Shape

• The Balsam Fir tree is slow-growing and relatively short-lived; is typically medium-sized reaching up to 40 to 80 feet (12 to 24 meters) high with a 15 to 25 foot (4.5 to 7.6 meter) spread. Michigan Big Tree: 155 feet (35 meters) tall, Ontonagon County.
• Balsam Fir is more slender in form at maturity than other fir trees spreading pyramidal with a narrow, spire-topped crown. Branches diverge from trunk at right angles, the lower branches often spread and droop. In closed stands, dead branches persist below the live crown.

Balsam Fir tree needles measure about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, are flat (can not roll between fingers compared to spruces) and are blunt tipped. They are lustrous, dark green above, and pale beneath in contrast due to numerous white lines of stomata. Balsam Fir needles are very aromatic when crushed or brushed against. Needles are arranged in two rows on either side of the twig, curving upwards with a narrow empty space along the top of the twig giving them a flatter appearance in comparison to spruces.

Needles are attached directly to the twig without a peg (as with the spruce trees) leaving a round, flush scar when shed.

Balsam Fir Tree Seed Cones

Balsam Fir tree seed cones grow from 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long, are oblong and more slender than White Fir cones. Like all firs, they sit upward erect upon branches and they grow only on the upper crown of the tree. They ripen in autumn of first season, and upon releasing seeds, they disintegrate thereafter leaving only the central spire (see drawing). Cones are dark gray-purplish and very resinous.

• Balsam Fir is monecious, meaning both male and female reproductive cones are produced on the same tree.

Balsam Fir male pollen cones are small (1/4 to 1 inch) egg-shaped to cylindrical, found in dense clusters on the underside of branches in the middle-to-upper crown. Appearing in spring, they are colorful ranging from yellow and green to red, purple, or blue before releasing yellow pollen to the female seed cones and later turning brown. 

Balsam Fir bark is thin and smooth on young trunks, colored pale grayish-brown marked by raised resin blisters. The blisters disappear as the bark becomes rougher, thicker, and broken into irregular reddish-brown scales on older mature trees. 

Balsam Fir Tree Health Benefits

Balsam Fir is sometimes called Blister Fir. If you were to pierce open the blisters, a clear sap drips out without harming the tree. The sap is meant to protect the Balsam Fir tree from damage and is very rich in antioxidants and other healthy compounds. The sap can then be put directly onto wounds or be used in a poultice. There are also quite a few health benefits using the needles and twigs which are highly marketed.

The solutions derived from Balsam Fir are anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral; treats ulcers, inflammation, diabetes, liver, lowers cholesterol; the Journal of the American Chemical Society found that the tree compounds “exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.”

Native Americans smoked the root or bark then inhaled the fumes to treat respiratory infections and colds. Today, you can buy Balsam Fir incenses to use for the same purpose.

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