Botanical print of Coast Douglas-Fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii).

The Coast Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), also known as "Pacific Douglas-fir", "Oregon pine", or "Douglas spruce" , it was described by Charles-François Brisseau de Mirbel. This species belongs to the Pinaceae family and stands out as one of the most emblematic trees of the temperate forests of North America. Although its common name suggests that it is a fir, it belongs to the genus Pseudotsuga, meaning “false tsuga”. For centuries, people have admired this tree for its grandeur, longevity, and usefulness.

It is native to western North America, from British Columbia to California. It is the third tallest conifer in the world, after the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) as it can reach over 100 m in height. In addition, it is a species with great longevity, ranging from 500 to 1000 years.

This tree grows in a variety of climates, from the cool, moist Pacific coasts to the drier inland climates. In addition, people from other continents, such as Europe, have successfully introduced it and value it in forestry.

The Douglas fir is a crucial contributor to forest ecosystems and is of great economic importance. For many indigenous cultures in the American Northwest, the tree also has deep spiritual and practical significance, as it is used in the construction of canoes, homes, and tools.

These illustrations emerged as a final project for the graphite illustration subject of the UPV/EHU Scientific Illustration postgraduate course, taught by Professor Eduardo Saiz. Later, they were digitalized and modeled to create a ceramic piece made using silkscreen printing, used as a sign for a fir tree in the UPV/EHU Campus Arboretum at Leioa, Bizkaia.

Year: 2019
Technique: Graphite illustration.
Illustration type: Scientific.
Type of project/Client: Course project.