Garden Pictures Pictures by members of British Conifer Society (240 photos)

Cones up it's a spruce, cones down it's a pine? Am I right?

Lori - nice try ! cones up it's Fir (Abies), cones down it's a spruce (Picea),
The saying came about because Firs and spruces can sometimes be difficult to tell apart, although Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is not a true fir and the cones also hang down. Pines (Pinus) are a different thing altogether, and the cones also do hang down.

Haaa....good memory but it's short... thanks Bluespruce.
Douglas Fir...false hemlock?? any idea why it was given that nomenclature?
Spruce (picea), Pines (pinus), tsuga (hemlock) bear their cones downward...firs (abies) upward. ???
My family remedy for bronchitis and congestion is a balsam fir pillow.
Usually a small linen bag full of the buds of the balsam fir. tucked under the pillow of a sufferer. When I was very young many years ago...we always tried to select a balsam fir for our christmas tree because it was so aromatic. Their cones have a projection...we used to call it a candle... that looks like nature has already partially decorated the tree with tiny candles..lol...

Hi Lori, Pseudotsuga menziesii, discovered and intoduced into cultivation by David Douglas 1826, some confusion at that time as to its nomenclature, hence the common name Douglas fir. Aligned closer to hemlocks (Tsuga), because of its distinctive cones by the French botanist Carriere some forty years later ...Pseudotsuga - meaning false Tsuga . Still some uncertainty even today as to its true classification.

my little niece says, you have some beautiful conifers with lovely cones!