The conifer has short, greenish-blue needles in bundles of two. The shapely tree can grow to more than 220 feet tall. It is named for its grayish bark. Old white fir trees, because they form large cavities at the base, make excellent wildlife refuges. Also at the middle latitudes, especially along streams in shaded groves, you'll see ferns, mosses, and mushrooms.
Snow can fall in any season.
This winter-dominated land is so harsh that sedges and grasses have become dwarfed, shrubs are forced to sprawl along the rocky ground, and trees are stunted into hunchbacked gnomes. This is due to prolonged, severe cold spells. For the most part, the birds and mammals seen here are visiting from lower elevations. Both are stunted from the winds that blast and dry everything in their path. These timberline conifers have short growing seasons that allow them to subsist on the edge of eternal cold.