Difference between revisions of "Abies lasiocarpa"

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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.
 
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 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. 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. 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.
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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]].''
 
:''More information about this species can be found on the [[Abies|genus page]].''
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==Varieties==
 
==Varieties==
There are two to three [[taxon|taxa]] in Subalpine Fir, treated very differently by different authors:
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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.
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*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. It occurs in the [[Rocky Mountains]] from southeast Alaska (eastern [[Alaska Range]]) south to Colorado. It differs primarily in [[resin]] composition, and in the fresh leaf scars being yellow-brown, not reddish. 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.
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*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. It differs in thicker, [[Cork (material)|cork]]y [[bark]] and more strongly glaucous foliage. 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. The ''Flora of North America'' includes it within ''A. bifolia'' without distinction; the USDA treats it as a distinct variety of ''A. lasiocarpa''.
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*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==

Revision as of 16:57, 17 January 2010


Abies lasiocarpa 26011.JPG


Plant Characteristics
Habit   tree

Height: 60 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 60. to 90 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 90.
Width: 10 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 10. to 12 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 12.
Lifespan: perennial
Origin: W United States
Cultivation
Exposure: sun, part-sun
Water: moist
Features: evergreen, foliage
USDA Zones: 5 to 6
Sunset Zones: 1-9, 14-17
Scientific Names

Pinaceae >

Abies >

lasiocarpa >


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 mwp 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 treeswp. The 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 shootwp. The cones are erect, 6-12 cm long, dark blackish-purple with fine yellow-brown pubescence, ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged seeds in early fallwp.

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

Cultivation

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Propagation

Do you have propagation info on this plant? Edit this section!

Pests and diseases

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Varieties

There are two to three taxawp 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 (Panhandle mountains) south to Californiawp.
  • 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 of Coast Range Subalpine Fir Abies lasiocarpa var. bifolia, or not distinguished from typical A. lasiocarpa at allwp. It occurs in the Rocky Mountains from southeast Alaska (eastern Alaska Range) south to Coloradowp. It differs primarily in resin composition, and in the fresh leaf scars being yellow-brown, not reddishwp. The Flora of North America treats it as a distinct species (see external links, below); the USDA includes it within A. lasiocarpa without distinctionwp.
  • The Corkbark Fir Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica occurs in Arizona and New Mexicowp. It differs in thicker, corky bark and more strongly glaucous foliagewp. 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 publishedwp. The Flora of North America includes it within A. bifolia without distinction; the USDA treats it as a distinct variety of A. lasiocarpawp.

Gallery

Abies lasiocarpa subsp. bifolia (A.Murray) Silba. Northern & central Rocky Mountains.

Abies lasiocarpa subsp. arizonica (Merriam) A.E.Murray. Southern Rocky Mountains.

References

  • American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432

External links