Tsuga diversifolia - northern Japanese hemlock
The hemlock (Tsuga) genus gets its scientific name from the Japanese word tsuga. The northern Japanese hemlock is one of the two hemlock species native to Japan, and its natural habitat is the mountains of Honshu Island between 900-2200 metres, approaching the tree line. On the best sites it reaches heights of 25 metres but higher up the slopes remains a low shrub. Compared with other hemlocks the crown is exceptionally dense and broad, reminiscent of broadleaf trees. On their undersides the needles are strongly silver-white, of varying length, broad and notched at the tip.