An attractive, cold-hardy ornamental. Introduced to Britain by botanist Peter Collinson (1694–1768) in 1736.

Native range in North America extends across Nova Scotia, Ontario, Alabama and Minnesota.

Monoecious.

Moderately tall (30m). Twigs yellow-brown and densely downy; buds 1.5-2.5mm, ovoid and pointed. Needle undersides show a clear green outer margin around two well-defined pale stomatal bands, the top rank of needles fairly consistently rotated upside-down. Compare with Western Hemlock.

A hardy species, shade-tolerant. Named cultivars for ornamental use include pendulous and compact forms.

No notable associations where introduced.

In its native range, this species and the related Carolina Hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana) are seriously threatened by the sap-sucking Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae). Accidentally introduced from eastern Asia, where it is only a minor pest, it is devastating North American forests.

Ornamental. In the mild conditions of north-west Europe, its tendency to form crooked and multiple stems, and its slower growth rate than Western Hemlock, has limited its use in forestry.