Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) spring bud-burst

Illustration of tree growth. Suitable for documentary or educational purposes.

Doug-fir, like most conifers, has a terminal bud and two lateral buds on the ends of the branches. In spring, all three burst with soft needles and a soft center stem. These rapidly expand, both needles and stem lengthening. The stem becomes a woody twig. In the fall, each of these three new twigs will each form three new buds for next year's growth.

In the right-foreground (out of focus) is a bud just beginning expansion.