Douglas fir

American  

noun

1. a coniferous tree, Pseudotsuga menziesii, of western North America, often more than 200 feet (60 meters) high, having reddish-brown bark, flattened needles, and narrow, light-brown cones, and yielding a strong, durable timber: the state tree of Oregon.

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Douglas fir British  

noun

1. Also called: Oregon fir.   Oregon pine.  a North American pyramidal coniferous tree, Pseudotsuga menziesii, widely planted for ornament and for timber, having needle-like leaves and hanging cones: family Pinaceae

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Etymology

Origin of Douglas fir

1855–60; named after David Douglas (1798–1834), Scottish botanist and traveler in America

Example Sentences

A $5 permit, a hike through the snow, and a glorious Douglas fir we covered in lights.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

Forest is more valuable there than in the South due to high prices for logs from Douglas fir trees that often are exported to Asia.

From Barron's • Dec. 16, 2025

Little said he sees a “tremendous increase” in demand for the varieties of Douglas fir wood that are typically used for homebuilding in California.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2025

But one night this last December, against the cozy glow of my fake Douglas fir, I found myself acting completely out of character, sitting up to hurl insults at an advertisement on television.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2025

A hundred yards away was a tall snag, the dead stalk of a Douglas fir, standing over the meadow like a sentinel.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann