The Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), a member of the pine family, with its unique appearance is one of the exceptionally beautiful conifers. In this article we clarify, among other things, whether the woody plant that comes from North America is also suitable for private gardens.
Will a Douglas fir fit in my garden?
The Douglas fir is suitable for extensive gardens as a solitary tree as it can grow up to 60 meters high. It is easy to care for, undemanding and its needles and cones are non-toxic, making it suitable for gardens with children playing.
In which gardens does a Douglas fir fit?
Since Douglas firs can grow quite tall and reach a trunk diameter of one to two meters when they are old, they are only suitable as asolitaire for large plots of land. In addition, no buildings may be located within a radius corresponding to the growth height.
These pine trees should not be planted in very dry regions. The heartroots penetrate into deeper soil layers and are more drought-resistant than, for example, spruces. Douglas firs don't cope well with longer periods of drought either.
How do I care for a Douglas fir in the garden?
Once established, Douglas firs arepleasantly undemanding:
- Fertilize in spring with a nitrogen-based special fertilizer for conifers (€8.00 on Amazon).
- Thin out damaged or diseased branches between September and March.
- Since the soil should not dry out completely, Douglas firs need to be watered regularly when it is dry. Since waterlogging is poorly tolerated, this requires a bit of sensitivity.
How big will the Douglas fir grow in the garden?
Douglas firs can also reach agrowing height of up to sixty meters in the garden. The conifers grow quickly and can grow up to forty centimeters within a year.
Is Douglas fir suitable for gardens where children play?
Sinceneither the needles nor the conesof the Douglas fir arepoisonous, this tree can also be used in gardens and parks used by children to be, to be planted. In addition, the dark green, three to four centimeter long needles are very soft and do not sting.
Can you grow a Douglas fir for the garden from seeds?
Despite the fact that Douglas firs produce numerous seeds in their hanging, up to ten centimeter large cones,propagation is complicated and takes quite a long time.
It takes twenty to forty years until the trees bloom for the first time. This makes it difficult to get suitable seeds.
Where can you buy Douglas firs for the garden?
Douglas fias are now part of thestandard range. Containerware is available all year round in almost all tree nurseries and many garden specialist stores.
Tip
There are two types of Douglas fir
Douglas fir can be roughly divided into two types: The coastal Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is often cultivated as a forest tree and in parks in Germany because of its good wood yield. The blue or mountain Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii glauca), on the other hand, is quite demanding in terms of its location and is therefore hardly widespread.
