Identification: Trees and Saplings with Short Needle Leaves, but Various Differences and Similarities - PART 2

... Continued from PART 1

Plant 6's needles are sparser and somewhat irregular, similar to the leaves of Plant 3. But, compared to Plant 3, Plant 6's centre stem is much more straight. Perhaps Plant 6 is a different species from all of the preceding plants?

Plant 6



Plant 7's tufts of leaves are flatter than the tufts seen in all the preceding plants. Perhaps Plant 7 is a different species from all the preceding plants?

Plant 7



Plant 8 has flatish tufts of leaves, similar to Plant 7. Perhaps Plant 8 is the same species as Plant 7?

Plant 8



Do you know what all of these plants are?

Jason

 

Thank you, from all the rest of us who thought we were ~special~ because we are unable to be sure of ID's with the "aid" of field manuals.

 

Perhaps a few generalities will help. Keep in mind that siblings don't always look alike ;)
Spruces in general, will give real meaning to the word "needle." Very sharp and stabby. Branches tend to stick straight out, like your picture #1.
True firs will have a tiny notch in the end of each needle. Douglas fir is not a true fir, so it has no notches. Grand fir, which I would suspect some of your pictures are, has the flatter needle arrangement, and will have the notches in the end.
Douglas firs can be rather irregular. Some branchlets are flattish, some more round. They have a generally soft and fluffy appearance.
Hemlocks have the flat branchlets, but no notches in the needles, and they have a generally more "droopy" appearance than the Grand fir. The leader (very top growth) of a western hemlock is flopped over. Needles are a bit more irregular in length than grand fir.

 

Plant 6 - Mountain Hemlock Tsuga mertensiana.
Plants 7 & 8 - Pacific Silver Fir Abies amabilis.