Only 50 of These Rare Trees Remain in Minnesota

If I asked people to name five natural things that describe Minnesota, the list would likely include lakes and trees, both of which we have plenty of.

That is, except for one particular tree, which is considered the rarest in Minnesota. There are only about 50 of them still standing, scattered across roughly 10 known locations around the state.

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What’s the Rarest Tree in Minnesota?

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, this tree has always had a limited population in the state. In fact, the DNR says it was rare here “even before the era of unrestrained logging and slash fires changed the composition of Minnesota's forests.”

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The tree in question? Tsuga canadensis, more commonly known as the eastern hemlock. A rare sight in Minnesota, the DNR says several of the known eastern hemlock sites are located in public parks and forests, where they’re protected from logging.

A Protected Tree with a Tragic History

The largest known grouping of eastern hemlocks in Minnesota is located within a Scientific and Natural Area. This designation provides the highest level of land protection the state offers.

Back in the early 1900s, thousands of eastern hemlocks could be found in Minnesota. But in 1912, 8,000 railroad ties were cut from one stand of them. Then, just as a plan was in the works to protect the forest as a state park, the devastating Moose Lake–Cloquet fire of 1918 tore through the area. It destroyed nearly every remaining tree in the stand. The few survivors eventually died.

Where to Find Them Today

The remaining eastern hemlocks are found in northeastern Minnesota, which marks the northwestern edge of the species’ natural range. These trees, part of the pine family, can reach heights of 40 to 70 feet and spreads of 25 to 35 feet.