Tsuga caroliniana

A native tree in the Pinaceae family that grows along cliffs and ridges from the Blue Ridge mountains to northeast Tennessee.  It can grow in partial to full shade and moist, well-drained soil, thriving in the cool, shady areas of your landscape.  It works well as a screen in partly shady areas, lending to its use as an ornamental tree.  It is not drought tolerant and will need to be watered regularly, especially in dry conditions.  It needs protection from wind and hot weather to prevent foliage scorching but is more tolerant of summer heat than T. canadensis, a similar-looking relative.  The trees can be told apart by the length of the leaves and structure of the stems, with T. caroliniana having longer leaves and cones as well as a rough appearance.

This plant is found in isolated patches in western North Carolina and is becoming rare due to the hemlock woolly adelgid

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Healthy trees in the right location have few problems. Susceptible to hemlock woolly adelgid. Other insect problems include ambrosia beetle, bagworms, borers, leaf miner, sawfly, and mites.  Potential disease problems for plants in the genus Tusga include needle blight (needles turn yellow and die), canker, rusts and rots.  Foliage may scorch in very hot weather.