Fir
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 Korean Fir (Abies koreana) cone and foliage | ||||||||||||
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Firs (Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. All are trees, and reach heights of 10-80 m (30-260 ft) tall with trunk diameters of 0.5-4 m (2-12 ft) when mature. Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by their needle-like leaves, attached to the twig by a base that resembles a small suction cup; and by erect, cylindrical cones 5-25 cm (2-10 in) long that shatter at maturity to release the winged seeds.
Douglas-firs are not true firs, being of the genus Pseudotsuga.
Species
- Section Balsamea (Taiga|boreal Asia and North America, and high mountains further south)
- Abies fraseri - Fraser Fir, Southern Fir, Southern Balsam Fir. Sunset zones 36, 37. Native to higher, cooler elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Attractive pyramidal tree resembling A. balsamea in looks and in fragrance. Popular choice of Christmas tree to grow in areas with not very hot summers.
- Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir, Sunset zones 3-7, 15-17, 36-38, 42-44. Native of NE US. Pyramidal tree up to 50ft tall with dark green needles. Doesn't thrive in hot-summer climates. Has legendary fragrance, making it popular for wreaths and Christmas trees. 'Nana' is a dwarf variety good in rock gardens and containers.
- Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis - Bracted Balsam Fir
- Abies bifolia - Rocky Mountains Subalpine Fir
- Abies lasiocarpa - Coast Range Subalpine Fir, Alpine Fir, Rocky Mountain Fir. Sunset zones 1-9, 14-17. 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.
- Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica - Corkbark Fir
- Abies sibirica - Siberian Fir
- Abies sachalinensis - Sakhalin Fir
- Abies koreana - Korean Fir. Sunset zones 3-9, 14-24, 32, 34, 39. Native to Korea. Slow-growing and compact tree up to 30 feet in a pyramidal shape. Green needles are shiny and short. Young and small trees set cones. 'Aurea' variety is smaller, slower growing and has gold-green foliage.
- Abies nephrolepis - Khinghan Fir
- Abies veitchii - Veitch's Fir
- Abies veitchii var. sikokiana - Shikoku Fir
- Section Grandis (western North America to Mexico and Guatemala, lowlands in north, moderate altitudes in south)
- Abies grandis - Grand Fir or Giant Fir
- Abies grandis var. idahoensis - Interior Grand Fir or Giant Fir
- Abies concolor - White Fir, Sunset zones 1-9, 14-24, 34-37, 39, 41. Native to mountains of the West and Southwest, but can do well in Northwest and humid-summer parts of North and Northeast. Also does well in lower Midwest and in some lower-elevation parts of interior West. Reaches 50-70 feet in gardens. Bluish-green needles which are 1-2 inches long. 'Candicans' is bluish white.
- Abies concolor subsp. lowiana - Low's White Fir
- Abies durangensis - Durango Fir
- Abies durangensis var. coahuilensis - Coahuila Fir
- Abies flinckii - Jalisco Fir
- Abies guatemalensis - Guatemalan Fir
- Abies grandis - Grand Fir or Giant Fir
- Section Abies (central, south & east Europe, Asia Minor)
- Abies nebrodensis - Sicilian Fir
- Abies alba - Silver Fir, European Silver fir (syn. A. pectinata). Columnar tree having dark green leaves, the undersides of which are silver, up to 1 inch (2.5cm) long. The leaves are in a v-shape arrangement on the shoots. Cones are cylindrical and yellow-green, then turn brown as they ripen to 4-6 inches (10-15cm) with protruding bracts.
- Abies borisii-regis - Bulgarian Fir
- Abies cephalonica - Greek Fir
- Abies nordmanniana - Nordmann Fir or Caucasian Fir. Sunset zones 3-11, 14-24, 32-37. Native to Caucasus, Asia Minor and Greece. Vigorous, densely foliaged fir. Under cultivation reaches 30-50 feet tall, 20 feet wide. Needles are dark green and shiny, .25 to 1.5 inches long, having whitish bands underneath, and densely covering the branches. Does well in warm and dry summer western US and humid mid-Atlantic and southeastern states, but does best with regular water. Can be kept long-term in containers.
- Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani - Turkish Fir
- Abies cilicica - Cilician Fir
- Section Piceaster (southern Spain, northwest Africa)
- Abies pinsapo - Spanish Fir. Sunset zones 5-11, 14-24, 32, 33. Native to Spain. Does very well in both warm/dry regions and cool/moist. Slow growth to 50 feet. Sometimes mistaken for a spruce (due to dense, symmetric form). Stiff needles are deep green and .5 to .75 inches long. They are set uniformly around branches. 'Glauca' variety is blue gray.
- Abies pinsapo var. marocana - Moroccan Fir
- Abies numidica - Algerian Fir
- Abies pinsapo - Spanish Fir. Sunset zones 5-11, 14-24, 32, 33. Native to Spain. Does very well in both warm/dry regions and cool/moist. Slow growth to 50 feet. Sometimes mistaken for a spruce (due to dense, symmetric form). Stiff needles are deep green and .5 to .75 inches long. They are set uniformly around branches. 'Glauca' variety is blue gray.
- Section Momi (east & central Asia, Himalaya, generally at low to moderate altitudes)
- Abies kawakamii - Taiwan Fir
- Abies homolepis - Nikko Fir. Sunset zones 32, 34, 36-38. Native to Japan. Broad, dense and formal fir up to 80 feet in height. Densely arranged needles which point forward. Well suited to warm and moist areas.
- Abies recurvata - Min Fir
- Abies recurvata var. ernestii - Min Fir
- Abies firma - Momi Fir, Japanese Fir. Sunset zones 4-6, 17, 32, 34. Native to Japan. Broadly pyramidal, reaches 40-50 feet, branches are slightly above horizontal. Dark green needles are lighter underneath. Tolerates hot, moist climates.
- Abies beshanzuensis - Baishanzu Fir
- Abies holophylla - Manchurian Fir
- Abies chensiensis - Shensi Fir
- Abies chensiensis subsp. salouenensis - Salween Fir
- Abies pindrow - Pindrow Fir
- Abies ziyuanensis - Ziyuan Fir
- Section Amabilis (Pacific coast mountains, North America and Japan, in high rainfall mountains)
- Abies amabilis - Pacific Silver Fir
- Abies mariesii - Maries' Fir
- Section Pseudopicea (Sino-Himalayan mountains, at high altitude)
- Abies delavayi - Delavay's Fir
- Abies fabri - Faber's Fir
- Abies forrestii - Forrest's Fir
- Abies chengii - Cheng's Fir
- Abies densa - Bhutan Fir
- Abies spectabilis - East Himalayan Fir
- Abies fargesii - Farges' Fir
- Abies fanjingshanensis - Fanjingshan Fir
- Abies yuanbaoshanensis - Yuanbaoshan Fir
- Abies squamata - Flaky Fir
- Section Oiamel (Mexico, high altitudes in mountains)
- Abies religiosa - Sacred Fir
- Abies vejarii - Vejar's Fir
- Abies vejarii var. mexicana - Mexican Fir
- Abies hickelii - Hickel's Fir
- Abies hickelii var. oaxacana - Oaxaca Fir
- Section Nobilis (western USA, high altitudes)
- Abies procera - Noble Fir. Sunset zones 3-5, 15-17, 36, 37. This fir will grow slowly and satisfactorily in the Northeast, but does much better in the Northwest which it is native to (Northernmost California to Washington). In gardens it grows over 100 feet tall into a narrow and graceful tree. Inch-long needles are blue-green, branches are short and stiff, cones are 6-10 inches long and 3 inches wide, with extended bracts.
- Abies magnifica - Red Fir
- Abies magnifica var. shastensis - Shasta Red Fir
- Section Bracteata (California coast)
- Abies bracteata - Bristlecone Fir
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, well drained moist soil. Full sun. Soil should be neutral to slightly acidic. Some wind shelter. Most tolerate shade and do best where summers are cool.
Propagation
Cylindrical cones 5-25 cm (2-10 in) long shatter at maturity to release the winged seeds, leaving a spiky stalk.
Sow seeds in container in a cold from when they are ripe, or in late winter. Stratify for 3 weeks to aid in germination. Graft cultivars in winter.
Pests and diseases
Firs are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes abella (recorded on White Fir), Autumnal Moth, Conifer Swift (a pest of Balsam Fir), The Engrailed, Grey Pug, Mottled Umber and Pine Beauty.
Firs are also prone to Adelgids, bark beetles, bagworms, woolly aphids, spruce budworms and a wide variety fungi that can cause needle blights and root rot. Rust diseases are especially common.
Uses
The wood of most firs is considered unsuitable for general timber use, and is often used as pulp or for the manufacture of plywood and rough timber. Nordmann Fir, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir and Balsam Fir are very popular Christmas trees, generally considered to be the best trees for this purpose, with aromatic foliage that does not shed many needles on drying out. Many are also very decorative garden trees, notably Korean Fir and Fraser Fir, which produce brightly coloured cones even when very young, still only 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall.
Small specimens are good for container or bonsai plants.
Birds are attracted by fir seeds.
History
Taxonomy
They are most closely related to the cedars (Cedrus). Identification of the species is based on the size and arrangement of the leaves, the size and shape of the cones, and whether the bract scales of the cones are long and exserted, or short and hidden inside the cone.
Whorled branches bear linear, flattened and sometimes glossy leaves which are mid- to dark green, and often have 2 longitudinal silver bands beneath. Female cones are often purplish-blue, erect, with occasionally protruding bracts, and are produced in late summer and early spring on upper branches.
Firs are sometimes confused with Spruce due to similar appearance, but firs cones grow up instead of down, and they have softer needles that fall directly from the stems, while those of the spruce leave short pegs behind when the needles fall. Douglas-firs are not true firs, being of the genus Pseudotsuga.
Distribution and habitat
Firs are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range, and often dominating the northern and mountainous regions.
References
- American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432
- Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608
