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Abies amabilis

Abies amabilis (Douglas ex Loudon) Douglas ex Forbes

Pacific Silver Fir, Cascade Fir, Lovely Fir, White Fir, Red fir

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: ABAM

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)

Large fir with beautiful, spire-like, conical crown of short, down-curving branches and flat, fernlike foliage.

Called the silver fir because of the shining silvery undersides of the needles. "Amabilis" means lovely an apt name for this beautiful tree.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Root Type: Tap
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Leaf Shape: Linear
Leaf Margin: Entire
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Up to about 200 feet tall.
Leaf: Gray-Green
Fruit: Brown

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AK , CA , OR , WA
Canada: BC
Native Distribution: Pacific Coast from extreme SE. Alaska south to W. Oregon; local in NW. California; to 1000' (305 m) in north; to 6000' (1829 m) in south.
Native Habitat: Cool, wet regions, including coastal fog belt and interior mountain valleys; in coniferous forests.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Loam

Benefit

Use Food: The pitch of balsam firs (Abies spp.) was chewed for enjoyment, and the Ditidaht name for both A. amabilis and A. grandis literally means sweet plant.
Use Other: The boughs of the amabilis fir have a pleasant, spicy fragrance and, along with boughs of grand fir, were used in the household as floor coverings and bedding. The Nisga�a occasionally used amabilis fir wood for house planks, but it is soft and brittle, and therefore it was used mostly for fuel.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Fragrant Foliage: yes

Propagation

Propagation Material: Seeds

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:		UPL	FACU							FACU

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Abies amabilis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Abies amabilis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Abies amabilis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-31
Research By: TWC Staff

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