Native Americans included spruce trees in their folklore. Tribes in the US southwest used the tree to symbolize the sky. Salavi, an ancient medicine man, chose to become a tree, or so the story goes. He became the first spruce … Read More
Canadian Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
There is a widespread belief that all hemlock trees are poisonous. We can confidently debunk that rumour. Although the philosopher Socrates drank a cup of hemlock to take his own life, Canadian hemlocks are not toxic in any way. In … Read More
Balsam Fir Trees (Abies balsamea)
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) cones stand straight up, sitting on top of the branch. This positioning is a signature of the fir family and makes this species something of a rogue. You see, other conifer cones hang downward. The purple-green … Read More