Tsuga canadensis 'Curly' is a bushy, upright selection of Canadian hemlock with dense, very brittle branching and broad, very short, slightly curled, dark green needles with abaxial bands of stomata that give the plant an overall green-gray appearance. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 28 inches (70 cm) tall and wide, an annual growth rate of 3 inches (7.5 cm).
[ Obrizok, in A Garden of Conifers Introduction and Selection Guide (©1999) ]: Dwarf, irregular upright, small recurved needles, brittle branches, faster growing than 'Verkade Recurved'.
[ Gelderen & Smith, in Conifers, The Illustrated Encyclopedia Volume 2 (2nd printing, ©1999) ]: An elegant semi-weeping small tree with very short, slightly twisted needles.
This cultivar originated as a unique, garden-grown specimen found in Larchmont, New York by Harold Epstein.