The Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is a long-lived tree (200 to 800 years) and is common in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The needles are soft and droop gracefully. They are full shade tolerant and need lots of moisture, hence they are not found in the western USA. The name “hemlock” is misleading because it is a pine tree and has nothing to do with the poisonous herb. Early settlers thought the crushed needles smelled like the herb. There are six species of the genus Tsuga (Japanese origin) in East Asia and 4 species in North America. I would drop the name hemlock and call them a fir tree.
Along the road of my bike ride were many wildflowers found on disturbed or roadside habitats. Below left to right are Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), which is an invasive species in the Americas, and Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium).
The Northern White-cedar or Swamp Cedar is another characteristic tree of the Upper Peninsula’s Northwoods. It specializes in bogs, wetlands, cliffs and similar areas where other trees have difficulty growing. The Ojibwe used it for medicinal purposes; today, it is used for many things. One concern is the high population of white-tailed deer that came into the UP with deforestation and farming are eating it out of existence in the wild.
Keeping Wild 