Are Cats And Dogs Poisoned By Douglas Firs?

Are Douglas fir trees poisonous to pets?

No, Douglas fir trees should not prove to be poisonous to either dogs or cats! The only thing that should concern you is if your pets try to knock the Christmas decorations off your tree!

• There are five species of this tree, two of which can be found in western North America, two in eastern Asia and one in Mexico. By far, the best-known genus is the very abundant and widespread North American species, Pseudotsuga menziesii, a taxonomically multi-faceted species.
• The tree was named in honour of Scottish botanist David Douglas, who first introduced the tree into development in 1826. David Douglas is known for presenting several North American local conifers to Europe.
• The leaves of the Douglas-fir are flat and linear, usually similar to other firs. Douglas firs are mainly used as food plants by the larvae of a number of species of Lepidoptera, including Bordered White, Turnip Moth, Autumnal Moth, Pine Beauty, the Engrailed, the Chionodes periculella and gelechiids Chionodes abella. Douglas fir wood is also used for structural purposes, generally to hold up heavy loads. It is often used in the construction industry.

• Douglas firs are the most common type of Christmas tree in the US, where they are sold alongside firs such as Grand Fir and Noble Fir. Douglas fir Christmas trees are typically trimmed to an almost-perfect cone, compared to the Grand and Noble firs, which are left to develop naturally.