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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.

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]].''

==Varieties==

==Varieties==

There are two to three [[taxon|taxa]] in Subalpine Fir, treated very differently by different authors:

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.

*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.

*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''.

*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==