Difference between revisions of "Pacific Silver Fir"

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|genus=Abies
 
|genus=Abies
 
|species=amabilis
 
|species=amabilis
|common_name=Pacific Silver Fir, White Fir
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|common_name=Pacific Silver Fir, White Fir, Beautiful fir
 
|habit=tree
 
|habit=tree
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|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|Min ht box=70
 
|Min ht box=70
 
|Min ht metric=ft
 
|Min ht metric=ft
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|Max wd box=20
 
|Max wd box=20
 
|Max wd metric=ft
 
|Max wd metric=ft
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|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|origin=S Alaska to N California
 
|origin=S Alaska to N California
 
|lifespan=perennial
 
|lifespan=perennial
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|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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|exposure=sun
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|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|Temp Metric=°F
 
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=6
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|min_zone=5
|max_zone=8
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|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
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|max_zone=9
 
|image=Abama-top.jpg
 
|image=Abama-top.jpg
 
|image_width=240
 
|image_width=240
 
}}
 
}}
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'''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>
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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.
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The foliage has an attractive scent, and is sometimes used for [[Christmas]] decoration, including [[Christmas tree]]s.
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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]].
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{{Inc|
 
{{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.}}
 
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.}}
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==Cultivation==
 
==Cultivation==
{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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===Propagation===
 
===Propagation===
{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
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===Pests and diseases===
 
===Pests and diseases===
{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->
 
  
==Species==
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<!--  This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc    -->
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==Varieties==
<!--  Usually in list format like this:    -->
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<!--  *''[[Freesia alba]]''  -->
 
<!--  *''[[Freesia laxa]]'' (syn. ''Anomatheca laxa'', ''Lapeirousia laxa'')  -->
 
  
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery -->
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<gallery perrow=5>
 
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
<gallery>
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
File:PacificSilverFir 7644.jpg
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
File:Abama-twig.jpg
 
File:PacificSilverFir 7645.jpg
 
Image:Upload.png| photo  
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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<references/>
 
<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
 
<!--- 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  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->

Latest revision as of 18:11, 29 June 2010


Abama-top.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 70 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 70. to 100 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 100.
Width: 12 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12. to 20 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 20.
Lifespan: perennial
Origin: S Alaska to N California
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
USDA Zones: 5 to 9
Scientific Names

Pinaceae >

Abies >

amabilis >


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 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.[1]

It is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 30–45 m (exceptionally 72 m) tall[2] 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 leaves are needle-like, flattened, 2-4.5 cm long and 2 mm wide by 0.5 mm thick, matt dark green above, and with two white bands of stomata below, and slightly notched at the tip.[3] 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 cones are 9–17 cm long and 4–6 cm broad, dark purple before maturity; the scale bracts are short, and hidden in the closed cone. The winged seeds 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 trees.

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.


Read about Pacific Silver Fir in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

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.

The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.


More information about this species can be found on the genus page.

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

References

  1. C.M. Hogan, 2008
  2. Gymnosperm database, 2008
  3. Flora of North America, 2008

External links