Seed quality tends to be poor. Seedbed requirements are broad. Seeds will germinate successfully on bare mineral soil or deep litter, although some seedling mortality from damping-off fungi occurs in deep litter. It reproduces best in locales undisturbed for at least 50 years, where emergents are shaded by canyon live oak. With time, continuous shade becomes a liability.
Vegetative reproduction occurs after injury.
Sprouting in young trees is not well documented, however. At low elevation, it occurs near streams in moist, shaded canyons and draws where aspects are mostly north and east. At these elevations, bigcone Douglas-fir also grows on sloping hillsides, ridges, and benches. At higher elevations, it occurs on south and west aspects on all types of terrain. The average angle of slope on which bigcone Douglas-fire grows is 34.5 degrees.