SENĆOŦEN name: ȾKÁ¸IȽĆ
Native to Victoria.
36 on the map, the #106 most common of 384 species.
Show Western hemlock trees on the map
Western hemlock is a very shade-tolerant tree; among associated species in the Pacific Northwest, it is matched or exceeded in shade tolerance only by Pacific yew and Pacific silver fir. Young plants typically grow up under the canopy of other conifers such as Sitka spruce or Douglas-fir, where they can persist for decades waiting to exploit a gap in the canopy. They eventually replace these conifers, which are relatively shade-intolerant, in climax forest. However, storms and wildfires will create larger openings in the forest where these other species can then regenerate.
Western hemlock forms ectomycorrhizal associations with some well-known edible fungi such as chanterelles. It is capable of associating with wood-decay fungi in addition to soil fungi; this enables its seedlings to survive on rotting stumps and logs.
Boughs were used as ritual scrubbers to protect girls at puberty, hunters (Kwakwaka’wakw, Hesquiaht/Nuu-chah-nulth, Ditidaht, Makah, Nlaka’pamux); decoction of branches drunk for ritual purification and used as disinfecting fumigant for houses (Nlaka’pamux) (Boas 1930; Gill 1983; Turner and Bell 1973; Turner and Efrat 1982; Turner, Thompson, et al. 1990). Knots for bentwood fishhooks; wood for harpoon shafts, fish weir stakes, arrow points, paddles. Boughs for lining acorn-leaching pits, reinforcing fish weirs,
capturing herring eggs.
The Ditidaht name qw’itłqapt, for western hemlock, means “fire goes out/no fire-tree/plant” because it is considered a poor-burning wood, although it is sometimes used for banking a fire overnight because it will smoulder without putting out much heat.
The sap or pitch is medicinal, used as a poultice to heal wounds and burns, as well as mixed with fat to form an aromatic salve that is useful as a chest rub for colds, to massage sore muscles, and to protect against sunburn.
Harvesting: Partial harvesting of edible cambium and inner bark. Rectangular pieces cut from living trees. Harvesting pitch or gum from living trees for material or medicinal purposes. Collected from natural or human-made wounds in trees or from pitch blisters. The pitch was variously chewed for pleasure, used as waterproofing or adhesive for implements and containers, or prepared for medicinal use. Bark harvested for food (inner bark) from standing, living trees; branches and sapling trunks cut for herring egg harvesting, lining acorn-leaching pits, and reinforcing weirs; poles cut for weirs and twisting eelgrass (general, Northwest Coast)