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|genus=Abies
|genus=Abies
|species=concolor
|species=concolor
|common_name=White fir
|common_name=White fir, Blue fir, Colorado white fir, Silver fir
|name_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|habit=tree
|habit=tree
|Min ht box=80
|habit_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max ht box=120
|Max ht box=130
|Max ht metric=ft
|Max ht metric=ft
|Min wd box=15
|height_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|Max wd box=25
|Max wd box=22
|Max wd metric=ft
|Max wd metric=ft
|width_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|origin=Oregon to N Mexico
|origin=Oregon to N Mexico
|lifespan=perennial
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun, part-sun, shade
|life_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|exposure=sun
|sun_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|water=moist
|water=moist
|features=foliage
|features=foliage
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|min_zone=3
|min_zone=5
|max_zone=7
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
|max_zone=9
|sunset_zones=1-9, 14-24, 34-37, 39, 41
|sunset_zones=1-9, 14-24, 34-37, 39, 41
|image=White fir MN 2007.JPG
|image=White fir MN 2007.JPG
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.
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.
The [[leaf|leaves]] are needle-like, flattened, 2.5-6 cm long and 2 mm wide by 0.5-1 mm thick, green to glaucous blue-green above, and with two glaucous blue-white bands of [[stomata]] below, and slightly notched to bluntly pointed at the tip. The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they all lie in either two more-or-less flat ranks on either side of the shoot, or upswept across the top of the shoot but not below the shoot. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are 6-12 cm long and 4-4.5 cm broad, green or purple ripening pale brown, with about 100-150 scales; 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 months after pollination.
The [[leaf|leaves]] are needle-like, flattened, 2.5-6 cm long and 2 mm wide by 0.5-1 mm thick, green to glaucous blue-green above, and with two glaucous blue-white bands of [[stomata]] below, and slightly notched to bluntly pointed at the tip. The leaf arrangement is spiral on the shoot, but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they all lie in either two more-or-less flat ranks on either side of the shoot, or upswept across the top of the shoot but not below the shoot. The [[conifer cone|cones]] are 6-12 cm long and 4-4.5 cm broad, green or purple ripening pale brown, with about 100-150 scales; 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 months after pollination.
{{Inc|
{{Inc|
[[Image:Abies concolor cones.jpg|thumb|left|Foliage and cones of subsp. ''concolor'']]
[[Image:Abies concolor cones.jpg|thumb|left|Foliage and cones of subsp. ''concolor'']]
As treated here, there are two [[subspecies]]; these are also variously treated at either the lower rank of [[variety (biology)|variety]] by some authors, or as distinct [[species]] by others:
As treated here, there are two [[subspecies]]; these are also variously treated at either the lower rank of [[variety (biology)|variety]] by some authors, or as distinct [[species]] by others:
* ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''concolor''. '''Colorado White Fir''' or '''Rocky Mountains White Fir'''. In the [[United States]], at altitudes of 1700-3400 m in the [[Rocky Mountains]] from southern [[Idaho]] south through [[Utah]] and [[Colorado]] to [[New Mexico]] and [[Arizona]], and on the higher [[Great Basin]] mountains of [[Nevada]] and extreme southeastern [[California]], and a short distance into northern [[Sonora]], [[Mexico]]. A smaller tree to 25-35 m tall, rarely 45 m. Foliage strongly upcurved to erect on all except weak shaded shoots in the lower crown; leaves mostly 3.5-6 cm, and strongly glaucous on the upper side with numerous stomata. Tolerates winter [[temperature]]s down to about -40°C.
* ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''concolor''. '''Colorado White Fir''' or '''Rocky Mountains White Fir'''. In the [[United States]], at altitudes of 1700-3400 m in the [[Rocky Mountains]] from southern [[Idaho]] south through [[Utah]] and [[Colorado]] to [[New Mexico]] and [[Arizona]], and on the higher [[Great Basin]] mountains of [[Nevada]] and extreme southeastern [[California]], and a short distance into northern [[Sonora]], [[Mexico]]. A smaller tree to 25-35 m tall, rarely 45 m. Foliage strongly upcurved to erect on all except weak shaded shoots in the lower crown; leaves mostly 3.5-6 cm, and strongly glaucous on the upper side with numerous stomata. Tolerates winter [[temperature]]s down to about -40°C.
* ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''lowiana'' ([[syn.]] ''A. lowiana''). '''Low's White Fir''' or '''Sierra Nevada White Fir'''. In the [[United States]], at altitudes of 900-2700 m from the [[Cascades]] of central [[Oregon]] south through [[California]] ([[Klamath Mountains]], [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]) to northern [[Baja California]], [[Mexico]]. A larger tree to 40-60 m tall. Foliage flattened on lower crown shoots, the leaves often raised above the shoot on upper crown shoots but not often strongly upcurved; leaves mostly 2.5-5 cm, and only weakly glaucous on the upper side with few or no stomata. Tolerates winter temperatures down to about -30°C.
* ''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''lowiana'' ([[syn.]] ''A. lowiana''). '''Low's White Fir''' or '''Sierra Nevada White Fir'''. In the [[United States]], at altitudes of 900-2700 m from the [[Cascades]] of central [[Oregon]] south through [[California]] ([[Klamath Mountains]], [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]) to northern [[Baja California]], [[Mexico]]. A larger tree to 40-60 m tall. Foliage flattened on lower crown shoots, the leaves often raised above the shoot on upper crown shoots but not often strongly upcurved; leaves mostly 2.5-5 cm, and only weakly glaucous on the upper side with few or no stomata. Tolerates winter temperatures down to about -30°C.
White Fir is very closely related to [[Grand Fir]] (''Abies grandis''), with subspecies ''lowiana'' being particularly similar to the interior variety of Grand Fir ''A. grandis'' var. ''idahoensis'', intergrading with it where they meet in the Cascades of central Oregon. To the south in Mexico, it is replaced by further close relatives, [[Durango Fir]] (''A. durangensis'') and [[Mexican Fir]] (''A. mexicana'').
White Fir is very closely related to [[Grand Fir]] (''Abies grandis''), with subspecies ''lowiana'' being particularly similar to the interior variety of Grand Fir ''A. grandis'' var. ''idahoensis'', intergrading with it where they meet in the Cascades of central Oregon. To the south in Mexico, it is replaced by further close relatives, [[Durango Fir]] (''A. durangensis'') and [[Mexican Fir]] (''A. mexicana'').
