Tsuga heterophylla is a vigorous large evergreen tree to 30 metres or more, conical in habit, with elegantly spreading branches bearing short, flattened, dark green needles striped white beneath. Ovoid cones are 2.5 cm in length.

Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock-spruce) may be present in parks and plantations

Leaves with short, green, appressed petiole and two broad white stripes on underside; cones very small (<3cm). (Eastern Hemlock has narrower white stripes and leaves are twisted to show line of white underside along top of shoot)

Photograph of shoot (inc. underside) and cones

Woodlands, parks and gardens.

All year round.

Evergreen.

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

Locally frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.