View source for Pacific Silver Fir

{{SPlantbox
|familia=Pinaceae
|genus=Abies
|species=amabilis
|common_name=Pacific Silver Fir, White Fir, Beautiful fir
|habit=tree
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Min ht box=70
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=100
|Max ht metric=ft
|Min wd box=12
|Min wd metric=ft
|Max wd box=20
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|origin=S Alaska to N California
|lifespan=perennial
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=5
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=9
|image=Abama-top.jpg
|image_width=240
}}
'''Pacific Silver Fir''' (''Abies amabilis'') is a [[fir]] native to the [[Pacific Northwest]] of [[North America]], occurring in the [[Pacific Coast Ranges]] and the [[Cascade Range]] from the extreme southeast of [[Alaska]], through western [[British Columbia]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]] and [[Oregon]], to the extreme northwest of [[California]]. It grows at altitudes of sea level to 1,500 m in the north of the range, and 1,000-2,300 m in the south of the range, always in [[temperate rain forest]] with relatively high precipitation and cool, humid summers. Common associate trees are [[Douglas fir]] and [[California buckeye]].<ref>C.M. Hogan, 2008</ref>

It is a large [[evergreen]] [[Pinophyta|coniferous]] [[tree]] growing to 30–45 m (exceptionally 72 m) tall<ref>Gymnosperm database, 2008</ref> and with a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m (exceptionally 2.3 m). The [[bark]] on younger trees is light grey, thin and covered with [[resin]] blisters. On older trees, it darkens and develops scales and furrows. The [[leaf|leaves]] are needle-like, flattened, 2-4.5&nbsp;cm long and 2&nbsp;mm wide by 0.5&nbsp;mm thick, matt dark green above, and with two white bands of [[stomata]] below, and slightly notched at the tip.<ref>Flora of North America, 2008</ref> The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they lie flat to either side of and above the shoot, with none below the shoot. The shoots are orange-red with dense velvety pubescence. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are 9–17&nbsp;cm long and 4–6&nbsp;cm broad, dark purple before maturity; the scale bracts are short, and hidden in the closed cone. The winged [[seed]]s are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 6–7 months after pollination.

The foliage has an attractive scent, and is sometimes used for [[Christmas]] decoration, including [[Christmas tree]]s.

It is also planted as an [[ornamental tree]] in large parks, though its requirement for cool, humid summers limits the areas where it grows well; successful growth away from its native range is restricted to areas like western [[Scotland]] and southern [[New Zealand]].

{{Inc|
White Fir. Tree, 100-150 ft.: trunk 4-6 ft. in diam.: lvs. crowded, dark green and very lustrous above, silvery white below, occasionally stomatiferous on the upper surface: cones oblong, dark purple, 3 1/2 - 6 in. long; bracts much shorter than their scales. Cascade Mts. of Wash, and Ore., and Coast Ranges from Vancouver Isl. to Ore. —One of the handsomest of the genus, often forming groves at high elevations; in cult, grows slowly, and is not satisfactory.}}

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

==Cultivation==


===Propagation===


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==Varieties==


==Gallery==
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==References==
<references/>
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
<!--- xxxxx  *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==
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