); "austrianpine.jpg")
); "balsamfir.jpg")
); "blue_spruce.jpg")
); "white_cedar_3.jpg")
); "douglasfir.jpg")
); "norway_spruce.jpg")
); "red_pine_1.jpg")
); "tamarack.jpg")
); "white_pine.jpg")
); "white_spruce.jpg")
Coniferous Trees
Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra)
Large tree that grows to 65 feet. Shade tolerant, fast growing, and moderately long-lived. Will grow on any well to moderately well-drained soil. High tolerance for rocky, gravelly and drought prone soils and those with a high lime content. Salt tolerant. Dense form, rapid growth and tendency to retain its lower branches make it desirable as a windbreak tree. Exotic.
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
A soft, waxy, deep green aromatic true fir that enjoys sun and likes cool, moist, well-drained soil conditions. Provides good wildlife cover and is shade tolerant. Grows 40 to 60 feet in height. Native.
Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)
This native of the Rocky Mountains is a slow growing, long-lived, medium-sized tree that grows up to 50 feet. Grows well on almost any upland soil and is drought resistant. The root system is very shallow on heavy textured or wet soils. Exposed trees are subject to windthrow. Exotic.
Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
Small to medium-sized tree that grows to 60 feet. Very slow growing. Shade tolerant but best in full or partial sun. Prefers moist deep rich organic soil but will inhabit dry upland sites. Not found in upland acidic soils. Adapted to clay and sand soils. Wood is commercially valuable due to its variety of uses. Favorite deer shelter and food. Native.
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
Medium sized tree to 60 feet in height. Moderately shade tolerant, moderately fast growing, and long-lived. Grows on moist upland soils except those with high lime content in the topsoil. Sand and loam preferred. Planted by many commercial growers in Michigan for Christmas trees. Exotic.
Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
Moderately fast growing, long-lived tree that grows to 85 feet. Prefers full sun, but will tolerate some shade. Grows well on a variety of soils but does best on rich, acid, moist well-drained soils. Intolerant to lime in the soil. The root system is very shallow on clay and poorly drained soils. Mature trees with numerous vertically drooping branches and conical spire-topped crowns. Exotic.
Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)
Fast growing, long-lived tree that grows to 80 feet. Shade intolerant. It grows best on well-drained sandy loam soil. Does not tolerate a high water table. Excellent tree for reforestation on poor sand sites. Important timber tree with distinctive reddish bark. Native.
Tamarack (Larix larcina)
Also called Larch. Hardy, fast growing tree found in swampy areas or along lake shores. Foliage is bright green with needles that turn golden yellow in fall. Needles are deciduous. Heights range from 40 to 80 feet. Native.
White Pine (Pinus strobus)
A long-lived, moderately fast growing tree which reaches heights of 80 to 100 feet. Moderately shade-tolerant. Seedlings grow best when placed in partial shade. Best adapted to moist sand loam soils but will grow on a variety of sites from swamp to dry sand. Tall straight stemmed picturesque tree that is valuable for its lumber as well as for the cover and food it provides wildlife. Native.
White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Medium-sized to large tree reaching heights to 80 feet. Moderately shade-tolerant but grows best in full sun. Found on clay, sand and loam soils where moisture conditions may vary from moist to dry. Prefers well-drained sandy loams. Resistant to drought. Straight stemmed and narrow crowned. Native.