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| ## subalpine fir {#subalpine-fir .Title-Header}                       |
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| *Abies lasiocarpa* (Hook.) Nutt.                                      |
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| Plant Symbol = ABLA                                                   |
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####### *Contributed By: USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center & Biota of North America Program*

![](media/image2.png){width="2.6958333333333333in"
height="2.7333333333333334in"}

## Alternate common names

Alpine fir, balsam fir, white balsam, white fir, western balsam fir,
cork bark fir

## Uses 

The wood is white, soft, brittle, and quick to decay, used for rough
construction and boxes, doors, frames, poles, and fuel. Small trees are
extensively used for Christmas trees. Subalpine fir is a forest pioneer
on severe and disturbed sites. By providing cover, it assists in
rehabilitating the landscape and protecting watersheds. Subalpine fir
grows in forests that occupy the highest water yield areas in much of
the western United States and are thus highly significant in water
management and conservation.

Native Americans used pitch and bark preparations for wounds and the
wood, bark, and boughs for roof shingles, baskets and bedding. The pitch
was also used to coat canoe seams and rubbed on bowstrings as a sealant
and protectant.

## Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State

Department of Natural Resources for this plant's current status, such
as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

## Description

*General*: Pine Family (Pinaceae). Native, evergreen trees growing to 20
meters tall with a sharp, spire-like crown, the upper several feet often
less than 30 cm in diameter, the plants often reduced to a prostrate
shrub on exposed sites near timberline. Bark is smooth, grayish-white,
with resin blisters, becoming furrowed only when the tree approaches a
foot in diameter (or var. *arizonica*, see below, with a softer, corky
trunk); branches with bark splitting to reveal a reddish-brown layer;
leaf scars with periderm red (or tan in var. *arizonica*). Needles are
1.8-3 cm long, flattened, grooved and bluish-green waxy on the upper
surface, 1-ranked and tending to turn upward so that the foliage of a
particular branch appears flattened and as though no leaves were
attached to the lower sides of the twigs; resin canals median, located
between the upper and lower epidermis. Seed cones are 6-12 cm long, 2-4
cm wide, dark purple, erect and only on the uppermost branches. The
common name refers to the distribution of the species in the subalpine
zone.

*Variation within the species:* Taxonomy of the species is not settled.
*Abies bifolia* A. Murr. may be treated within *A. lasiocarpa* or as a
separate species (evidence summarized by Hunt 1993). A southern
population system (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado) is sometimes
recognized as *A. lasiocarpa* var. *arizonica* (Merriam) Lemmon
(corkbark fir), or it may be identified as part of *A. bifolia*.

*Abies lasiocarpa* in the broad sense is distinguished from *A.
balsamea* by 4-5 stomatal rows on the upper surface at midleaf (vs.
mostly 7 rows in *A. balsamea*).

## Distribution

Subalpine fir is widespread in western North America, from southeastern
Alaska, Yukon, and Mackenzie south to California, in the Rocky Mountains
to northeastern Arizona and New Mexico. For current distribution, please
consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

## Adaptation 

Subalpine fir grows in subalpine coniferous forests, 600-3600 meters, up
to timberline, often associated with Douglas fir, Engelmann spruce, and
blue spruce. It is restricted to cold, humid habitats because of low
tolerance to high temperatures. Cool summers, cold winters, and deep
winter snowpacks are more important than total precipitation in
differentiating where subalpine fir grows in relation to other species.

## Establishment 

Trees of subalpine fir may begin to produce cones when 20 years old, but
under closed-forest conditions, seed production is not significant until
trees are older. Corkbark fir does not begin to bear cones until about
50 years old. Maximum seed production occurs in dominant trees 150-200
years old.

Germination and early survival are generally best on exposed mineral
soil and moist humus, but a wide variety of other seedbed types also
provide adequate conditions. Spring planting is most successful.
Subalpine fir invades and establishes on open, severe or disturbed sites
near timberline because of its ability to establish a root system under
conditions too severe for its less hardy associates and its ability to
reproduce by layering.

Subalpine fir is relatively slow growing. Seedlings average less than 38
cm in height after 15 years in the open. Heart rot is a severe problem,
and many trees die or are complete culls at an early age. Of those
reaching maturity, trees 25-51 cm in diameter are often 150-200 years
old, and trees older than 250 years are not uncommon. Some trees in
Olympic National Park, Washington, have been determined to be over 400
years old (by ring count).

## Management 

Periodic thinning increases the yield and size of individual trees, but
the fir component of subalpine spruce-fir stands is likely to be greatly
reduced by repeated thinning, so that the stand at the time of final
harvest will be almost pure Spruce.

In the Cascades, the European balsam woolly adelgid has caused
significant mortality to subalpine fir, virtually eliminating it from
some stands in Oregon and southern Washington. Windthrow is a common
problem in subalpine fir, presumably because of its relatively shallow
root system. Pruning should be kept to a minimum, for when older
branches are removed, new growth seldom develops and, consequently, the
trees become ragged and unkempt.

## Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Available through most nurseries. Horticultural and ornamental cultures
have been recognized, including the following:

*A. lasiocarpa* cv. *beissneri* -- a dwarf tree bearing distorted
branches and twisted needles.

*A. lasiocarpa* cv. *caerulescens* -- a normal-sized tree with
especially intensive bluish needles.

*A. lasiocarpa* cv. *compacta* -- a dwarf tree of compact habit.

## References

Earle, C.J. 2000. *Gymnosperm database-Abies lasiocarpa*. 29nov2000.

\<http://www.geocities.com/\~earlecj/pi/ab/lasiocarpa.htm\>

Foiles, M.W., R.T. Graham, & D.F. Olson, Jr. 1990. *Abies lasiocarpa*.
Pp. 52-59, IN: R.M. Burns and B.H. Honkala. *Silvics of North America.
Volume 1. Conifers*. USDA, Forest Service Agric. Handbook 654,
Washington, D.C.
\<http://willow.ncfes.umn.edu/silvics_manual/Table_of_contents.htm\>

Hunt, R.S. 1993. *Abies*. Pp. 354-362, in *Flora of North America, North
of Mexico. Vol. 2, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms*. Oxford Univ. Press,
New York, New York.
\<http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/Flora/flora.pl?FLORA_ID=12395\>

Leadem, C.L. 1988. *Dormancy and vigour of Abies lasiocarpa seeds*. Can.
Soc. Plant Physiologist, University of Victoria, British Colombia,
Canada.

Van Pelt, R. 1996. *Champion trees of Washington state*. University of
Washington Press, Seattle, Washington.

## Prepared By

*Guy Nesom*

BONAP, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

## Species Coordinator

*Lincoln Moore*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 13nov00 jsp;07feb03ahv; 24may06jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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