page_title: Fraser fir
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Fraser fir / Description
context_page_description: The Fraser fir is a species of fir native to the Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States.
  Abies fraseri is closely related to balsam fir, of which it has occasionally been treated as a subspecies or a variety.
context_section_description: Abies fraseri is a small evergreen coniferous tree typically growing between 30 and 50 feet (10–15 m) tall, but rarely to 80 ft (25 m), with a trunk diameter of 16 to 20 inches (40–50 cm), but rarely 30 in (75 cm). The crown is conical, with straight branches either horizontal or angled upward at 40° from the trunk; it is dense when the tree is young and more open in maturity. The bark is thin, smooth, grayish brown, and has numerous resinous blisters on juvenile trees, becoming fissured and scaly in maturity.
  The leaves are needle-like; arranged spirally on the twigs but twisted at their bases to form 2 rows on each twig; they are 0.4–0.9 inches (10–23 mm) long and 79–87 mil (2–2.2 mm) broad; flat; flexible; rounded or slightly notched at their apices (tips); dark to glaucous green adaxially (above); often having a small patch of stomata near their apices; and having two silvery white stomatal bands abaxially (on their undersides). Their strong fragrance resembles turpentine.
  The cones are erect; cylindrical; 1.4 to 2.75 inches (3.5–7 cm) long, rarely 3.2 in (8 cm), and 1–1.2 inches (2.5–3 cm) broad, rarely 1.5 in (4 cm) broad; dark purple, turning pale brown when mature; often resinous; and with long reflexed green, yellow, or pale purple bract scales. The cones disintegrate when mature at 4–6 months old to release the winged seeds.
  Some botanists regard the variety of Balsam fir named Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis as a natural hybrid with Fraser fir, denominated Abies × phanerolepis (Fernald) Liu.
caption: Seedlings of Fraser fir (blue-green, longer needles) and red spruce (green, shorter needles)
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