Douglas-fir is not a true fir and has been a taxonomic nightmare for those trying to settle on a genus name. After changing names on numerous occasions the present scientific name Pseudotsuga menziesii now uniquely belongs to Douglas-fir. I place it with the firs because of logical name placement and reader convenience.
To make things even more complicated two different varieties of the species are recognized. There is the P. menziesii var. menziesii, called coast Douglas-fir, and P. menziesii var. glauca called Rocky Mountain or blue Douglas-fir.
The unusual cone is unique with, forked, snake-tongue-like bracts extending from each scale. The tree is one of the dominant trees in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and up the slopes to medium altitudes. It has been transplanted successfully throughout most of the North American temperate zone and has a multitude of uses.