WSU Clark County Extension
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Cole’s Prostrate Canadian Hemlock

Scientific name: Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate'
Taxonomy
Family:Pinaceae
Type:Groundcovers evergreen
Native:NO
Plant Requirements
Zone:4 to 8
Sun:Partial shade to full shade
Moisture:Medium
Plant Characteristics
Height:2 ft
Width:4 ft
Additional Characteristics
Trees


Fruit

Leaves


Bark
Wildlife value

Poisonous
Description This hemlock cultivar is sold in the trade as a groundcover form making a nice alternative to spreading junipers.

  Morphology:
This species grows to a mature height of 1’-2’ and spreads out to 4’. It features dark-green needles which are about 0.5" long, subtlely petioled, and arranged in a spiraled or pectinate (two-ranked) fashion on the slender stems with two bluish-white bands underneath each needle. It spreads flat on the ground usually exposing bare branches in the center over time. The silver-white branch bark contrasts well with the dark green needled foliage.

  Adaptation:
An excellent evergreen ground cover for small shaded areas. Best performance occurs in an evenly moist but very well-drained soil, rich in organic matter and acidic to neutral in pH, lightly mulched to maintain a cool root zone and sited in partial sun to partial shade conditions;

  Pests:
Woody adelgid, a type of aphid, is a particularly potential problem on all of the hemlock speices.
For assistance, contact Dr. Charles Brun (brunc@wsu.edu), (360) 397-6060 5701
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