View source for Abies lasiocarpa

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Pinaceae
|genus=Abies
|species=lasiocarpa
|common_name=Coast Range Subalpine Fir, Alpine Fir, Rocky Mountain Fir
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|habit=tree
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max ht box=60
|Max ht metric=ft
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max wd box=12
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|origin=W United States
|lifespan=perennial
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|water=moist
|features=evergreen, foliage
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=4
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=9
|sunset_zones=1-9, 14-17
|image=Abies lasiocarpa 26011.JPG
|image_width=180
}}
Native to high elevations in western US. Grows into a narrow, 60-90 foot tall steeple shaped tree in the wild under good, moist soil. In gardens it typically loses this narrow shape and height. Bluish-green needles, 1 to 1.5 inches long.

It is a medium-sized [[tree]] growing to 20 m tall, exceptionally to 40-50 m{{wp}} tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter, and a very narrow conic crown. The [[bark]] on young trees is smooth, gray, and with [[resin]] blisters, becoming rough and fissured or scaly on old trees{{wp}}. The [[leaf|leaves]] are flat needle-like, 1.5-3 cm long, glaucous green above with a broad stripe of [[stomata]], and two blue-white stomatal bands below; the fresh leaf scars are reddish. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but with the leaf bases twisted to be arranged to the sides of and above the shoot, with few or none below the shoot{{wp}}. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are erect, 6-12 cm long, dark blackish-purple with fine yellow-brown pubescence, ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged [[seed]]s in early fall{{wp}}.

:''More information about this species can be found on the [[Abies|genus page]].''

==Cultivation==
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===Propagation===
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===Pests and diseases===
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==Varieties==
There are two to three [[taxon|taxa]]{{wp}} in Subalpine Fir, treated very differently by different authors:
*The '''Coast Range Subalpine Fir''' ''Abies lasiocarpa'' in the narrow sense, is the typical form of the species, occurring in the [[Pacific Coast Ranges]], the [[Olympic Mountains]] and the [[Cascade Range]] from southeast Alaska ([[Alaska Panhandle|Panhandle]] mountains) south to California{{wp}}.
*The '''Rocky Mountains Subalpine Fir''' is very closely related and of disputed status, being variously treated as a distinct species ''Abies bifolia'', as a [[variety (biology)|variety]] of Coast Range Subalpine Fir ''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''bifolia'', or not distinguished from typical ''A. lasiocarpa'' at all{{wp}}. It occurs in the [[Rocky Mountains]] from southeast Alaska (eastern [[Alaska Range]]) south to Colorado{{wp}}. It differs primarily in [[resin]] composition, and in the fresh leaf scars being yellow-brown, not reddish{{wp}}. The ''Flora of North America'' treats it as a distinct species (see external links, below); the [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] includes it within ''A. lasiocarpa'' without distinction{{wp}}.
*The '''Corkbark Fir''' ''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''arizonica'' occurs in Arizona and New Mexico{{wp}}. It differs in thicker, [[Cork (material)|cork]]y [[bark]] and more strongly glaucous foliage{{wp}}. In resin composition it is closer to ''A. bifolia'' than to typical ''A. lasiocarpa'', though the combination "Abies bifolia var. arizonica" has not been formally published{{wp}}. The ''Flora of North America'' includes it within ''A. bifolia'' without distinction; the USDA treats it as a distinct variety of ''A. lasiocarpa''{{wp}}.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:SubalpineFir 7458.jpg
File:Abies lasiocarpa youngcones.jpg
File:Abies lasiocarpa 28161.JPG
File:Abies lasiocarpa 28151.JPG
File:SubalpineFir 3320.jpg
File:SubalpineFir 7753t.jpg
File:Abies lasiocarpa 15853.JPG
</gallery>

''Abies lasiocarpa'' subsp. ''bifolia'' (A.Murray) Silba. Northern & central Rocky Mountains.
<gallery>
File:Abies lasiocarpa bifolia Picea engelmannii.jpg|Trees, with ''[[Picea engelmannii]]'', Mount Agassiz, Uinta Mts., Utah
File:Abies lasiocarpa bifolia Picea engelmannii2.jpg|Trees, with ''[[Picea engelmannii]]'', Mount Agassiz, Uinta Mts., Utah
File:Rocky Mountain Snow.JPG|Foliage with snow, Bear Lake, [[:Category:Rocky Mountain National Park|Rocky Mountain National Park]], Colorado
File:Bear Lake.JPG|Trees at Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
File:Nymph Lake.jpg|Trees at Nymph Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
File:Ouzellake.jpg|Trees at Ouzel Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
File:Windswept trees, Glacier National Park.jpg|Treeline "krümmholz" tree at Glacier National Park, Montana
File:Abies lasiocarpa bifolia foliage.jpg|Foliage, Jasper NP, Alberta
</gallery>

''Abies lasiocarpa'' subsp. ''arizonica'' (Merriam) A.E.Murray. Southern Rocky Mountains.
<gallery>
File:Abies lasiocarpa subsp arizonica Santa Fe.jpg|Tree, near Santa Fe, New Mexico
File:Abies lasiocarpa arizonica1.jpg|Trees
File:Abies lasiocarpa arizonica2.jpg|Trunks
File:Abies lasiocarpa arizonica3.jpg|Bark
</gallery>

==References==
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
*American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432
<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->

==External links==
*{{wplink}}

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