Pseudotsuga is a genus of
evergreen coniferous trees in the family
Pinaceae. Common names include
Douglas fir,
Douglas-fir,
Douglas tree, and
Oregon pine.
Pseudotsuga menziesii is widespread in western North America and is an important source of timber. The number of species has long been debated, but two in western
North America and two to four in eastern
Asia are commonly acknowledged. Nineteenth-century botanists had problems in classifying Douglas-firs, due to the species' similarity to various other conifers better known at the time; they have at times been classified in
Pinus,
Picea,
Abies,
Tsuga, and even
Sequoia. Because of their distinctive cones, Douglas-firs were finally placed in the new genus
Pseudotsuga (meaning "false hemlock") by the French botanist
Carrière in 1867. The genus name has also been hyphenated as
Pseudo-tsuga.