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Home > Fir > Subalpine Fir

Subalpine Fir

The Subalpine fir tree is the most widely distributed fir species in North America after the balsam fir. It is also the smallest of the true firs inhabiting the western United States.

Subalpine Fir

Subalpine Fir

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Plantae
Division Pinophyta
Class Pinopsida
Order Pinales
Family Pinaceae
Genus Abies
Scientific Name Abies lasiocarpa
Subalpine Fir Tree

Subalpine Fir Tree

Subalpine Fir Pictures

Subalpine Fir Pictures

Quick Information

Other Names Rocky Mountain Fir, Alpine Fir, White Balsam, Western Balsam Fir, Corkbark Fir, Pino Real Blanco de las Sierras (Spanish)
Size 66-115 ft (20-35 m); some have grown to 164 ft (50 m)
Identification

Leaves (Needles): 1 in (2.54 cm) long, flattened, thick in the middle, whitish blue sheen across all surfaces; rounded tips, some may be notched; arranged spirally, uniformly swept up, manicured appearance

Fruits (Cones): 2-4 in (5-10 cm) long, slender, cylindrical, upright on the twigs usually in clusters, deciduous scales; cones purple at maturity

Bark: Covered with resin-blisters, grayish green color when young; turns gray to white as it matures, continuous other than the base of larger trees; pockets of resin blisters found throughout the inner bark

Tree Type Evergreen
Types/Varieties
  • Coast Range subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)
  • Rocky Mountain subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. bifolia)
  • Corkbark Fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica)
Distribution/Range

Coast Range variety found in Pacific Coast Ranges, Olympic Mountains, Cascade Range from Southeast Alaska to California in the south

Rocky Mountain variety found from Rocky Mountains in the eastern Alaskan Range to Colorado in the south

Corkbark Fir found in New Mexico and Arizona

Habitat Occurs in high mountains of Western North America, at heights of 980-2950 ft (298-900 m)
Hardiness Zones 5-6
Growth Rate Slow
Lifespan Oldest tree found in Wyoming aged 494 years
Growing Conditions

Winter Conditions: Mean winter temperature is between 5°F and 25°F (-15°C to -3.9°C)

Summer Conditions: Mean summer temperature is between 45°F and 60°F (7.2°C to 15.6°C)

Rainfall: More than 24 in (61 cm)

Soil: Heavy Clayey, moist but not water-logged

Light Requirements: Full to partial sun

Diseases & Pests Western spruce budworm, western balsam bark beetle, silver fir beetle, fir engraver, balsam woolly adelgid; susceptible to wood-rotting fungi like the Indian paint fungus and bleeding conk fungus
Breeding System Monoecious
Propagation By seeds
Seed Dispersal Cones fall off as the seeds ripen
Seedling Development Germination rate is slow, requiring 6-8 weeks
Wildlife Value Nesting sites for many animals and birds; needles are eaten by grouse; elks and deer eat the fruits and foliage during winter; squirrels, chipmunks and birds eat the seeds
Cultivars A dwarf variant named Compacta
Uses Christmas trees and ornamental trees, for paper manufacture, as firewood; native Americans drank and bathed in subalpine fir boiled water to purify themselves and promote hair growth
IUCN Conservation Status Least Concern
Abies Lasiocarpa

Abies Lasiocarpa

Corkbark Fir

Corkbark Fir

Comparison with some other fir species

Subalpine Fir vs. Douglas Fir

Needles of the Douglas fir are fragrant while subalpine fir needles have no such features.

Subalpine Fir vs. Balsam Fir

Subalpine fir is found across western North America, Balsam fir inhabits eastern North America.

Subalpine Fir Needles

Subalpine Fir Needles

Subalpine Fir Cones

Subalpine Fir Cones

Interesting Facts

  • The ‘Compacta’ variant of the subalpine fir has been awarded the Royal horticultural Society’s ‘Award of Garden Merit.’
  • It is one of the slowest growing firs, often growing about 1 ft in height in 15 years.
Rocky Mountain Fir

Rocky Mountain Fir

Subalpine Fir Bark

Subalpine Fir Bark

References

  1. https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/subalpinefir.htm
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_lasiocarpa
  3. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42289/2970039
  4. https://www.conifers.org/pi/Abies_lasiocarpa.php
  5. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_1/abies/lasiocarpa.htm

Published on September 29th 2016 by Sudipto Chakrabarti under Fir.
Article was last reviewed on 5th December 2022.

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