Coast douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii

The douglas fir is the world's second tallest tree and like the tallest, the coast redwood, is native to western North America. This fast-growing giant reaches a height of 90m (300ft) in the wild and is widely grown for its excellent timber.

The douglas fir is the second tallest tree in the world, behind only the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). Like the coast redwood, it is native to western North America where it grows in forests of giant trees. This enormous conifer was discovered by the Scottish naturalist Archibald Menzies in 1793 and it is after him that the tree takes its botanical name, Pseudotsuga menziesii.

However, it wasn't until 1827 that seeds of the tree were sent to Britain by fellow botanist David Douglas and so the tree's common name was coined after him. Despite being known as a fir, it is not a member of the fir genus (Abies) and its similarity to a number of other conifers has seen it reclassified numerous times.

In its natural habitat, the douglas fir can grow to a height of 100m (300ft) although it is usually about half that in cultivation in Britain, partly because it only attains such height with age. The tallest specimen in Britain can be found in Inverness which was 64m (210ft) when measured in 2005. Initially introduced and planted as an ornamental tree, it soon became apparent that this fast-growing conifer was ideally suited to being grown for commercial purposes.

The wood of Pseudotsuga menziesii is extremely high quality and can be used in a huge variety of ways. The timber, known as Oregon pine in North America, is typically employed in construction as it is strong and durable, but it is also used for making furniture and in landscaping. Before it reaches the height required to be used in this way, the douglas fir is often the Christmas tree of choice in American homes.