Noble Fir

Noble fir, known for its beautiful symmetrical appearance, is a tall conifer species found in the Pacific coastal ranges of North America at an altitude of 910-1,680 m (3,000-5,500 ft). It has long and pointy leaves that turn upward, revealing the branches below. When young, the tree has smooth, gray bark with resin blisters; but at maturity, it becomes reddish-brown, with a rough, fissured texture.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Abies
Scientific Name	Abies procera

Quick Information

Other Names	Red Fir, Christmas tree
Closely related to	Abies magnifica (California red fir), Abies magnifica var. shastensis (Shasta fir)
Size	Large trees that stand at a height of 40-70 meters (130-230 feet), occasionally reaching up to 90 meters (295 feet); straight trunk with an average diameter of 2 meters (6.5 feet)
Leaves (Needles)	Flattened, linear, 1-3.5 cm long, blue-green color on all surfaces, strong stomatal bands, curved base; tips are rounded but pointy on the branches bearing cone; spiral arrangement but upswept above the shoot
Cones (Strobili)	Erect, 4.3-8.7 inches long; the male cones are purple or reddish, borne below the leaves; the female cones are borne at the top of the crown and have purple scales hidden by the yellowish-green bract scales
Tree Type	Evergreen
Branches	Diverge from the bark at right angles, stiff and reddish brown boughs; there is some spacing between the branches of a noble fir, giving the tree a less dense appearance than Douglas fir (another popular species of Christmas tree)
Shape	Young trees have a conical crown while matured noble firs have a short, rounded apex
Distribution/Range	Foothills of mountains as well as high mountain sides of Cascade and Coast Range of northwest California, western Washington, and Oregon in the US; Canadian Life Zone and lower Transition Zone of Canada
Hardiness Zones	5-6
Lifespan	250-300 years in average, while few may survive for more than 400 years
Growth Rate	Slow to medium; average annual increase in height is 12-24 inches
Growing Conditions	Humidity: Low; development of cones as well as shedding of pollen is sensitive to changes in humidity Temperature: Grows well in cold climates with snowy winters. Can grow in regions with short summers. Rain: Annual precipitation between 1,750mm and 2,600mm Sunlight: Partial shade and exposure to direct sunlight Soil Requirements: Cool, moist, deep, well-drained, and acidic soil; also found on thin and rocky soils with sufficient moisture
Diseases and Pests	Phytophthora root rot, stem canker, interior needle blight, CSNN (current season needle necrosis) are the common diseases affecting noble fir; branch distortion and needle discoloration are caused by spruce spider mite, balsam wooly adelgid, and balsam twig aphid
Flowering/Fruiting	Buds burst during early May to early June; pollen cone shedding occurs in June-July; seed dispersal starts during late September-early October
Seed production	Cones are borne at twenty years of age, but commercial seed bearing starts at 50 years
Seedling development	Germination takes place in the growing season following seed dispersal; initial development is slow, and it takes 3-5 years to attain a height of 1 ft
Wildlife Value	Birds such as jays, nuthatches, and chickadees, as well as rodents including mice and Douglas squirrels, feed on the noble fir seeds; black bears eat the sapwood by stripping the bark; it provides forest cover and protects the wildlife from cold
Cultivars	A. procera cv. ‘Glauca,’ A. procera cv. ‘Prostrata,’ and A. procera cv. ‘Robustifolia’
Uses	Makes a great Christmas tree since it is attractive and highly keepable; used for making garland, wreaths, and door swags; being lightweight and moderately strong, it is used as plywood, pulpwood, and construction lumber
Identification of wood	The noble fir wood has uniform straight grain with the springwood or earlywood being creamy white or lightbrown and the summerwood or latewood being slightly lavender or reddish brown
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Interesting Facts

• The artificial crossing of noble fir with several other fir species, including California red fir, has yielded viable seeds.
• It is believed that the de Havilland Mosquito bombers, which served during Second World War, were constructed with noble fir wood.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_procera
2. https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/tree-species-database/noble-fir-nf/
3. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42296/2970458
4. https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/christmas-trees/noble-fir-seedling-survival-strategies