Many of my favorite things I chose as a kid and either never changed or waited a long time to change. My favorite movies were Star Wars, my favorite color was orange, my favorite princess was Cinderella, etc. It wasn’t until more recently, that I adopted new favorites, including my favorite tree, the Douglas Fir.
The Douglas Fir is an evergreen tree native to the West Coast and Rocky Mountains. They grow in dense forests and lose their lower branches as they grow, making the crown countless stories high. The trees that grow in more sparse locations tend to keep their lower branches. The faster-growing and bigger Firs grow on the coast, while the smaller, slower-growing trees root in the mountains. Old growth of the two trees both reach about 5-6 feet in diameter. The two Firs are suited to different environments: the coastal Firs are suited for warm and moist climates, and the mountain Firs are suited for colder and harsher weather.
Now, why do I love Douglas Firs? Here in California, most Douglas Firs grow in forests of other trees. I’ve spent a lot of time in the Santa Cruz redwoods, and finding a “Dougie” is always a treat. Don’t get me wrong, I love redwoods, but visiting the old-growth Douglas Fir at my camp, Grandpa Doug is always sentimental. Douglas Firs are the beautiful hidden gems of our local Redwoods forest.