The Douglas fir is native to the western mountain states. It has been planted
widely in Iowa for ornamental and windbreak use.
The tree has dense and compact foliage, holds its branches well to theground. It grows 40 to 60 feet high.
The needles are soft, flattened, slightly pointed, 1 to 1-1/2inches long and grow around the branch to give it a full, rounded appearance. They are grooved on the upper surface, and have a white band on each side of a prominent midrib beneath.
The twigs are fine and the buds are long, pointed, dark orange-red
in color and shiny. They are sometimes termed "cigar-shaped."
The cones of the Douglas fir are distinct, 1-1/2 to 4 inches long.
Protruding from beneath the thin rounded scales is a conspicuous, three-pointed
bract.
On older trees the reddish brown bark is broken into oblong, longitudinal plates and may be 10 to 12 inches thick. On young and smaller trees, the bark is thin, ashy gray and may have resin blisters.
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