white fir tree identification

White firs are identifiable by two to three inch-long needles of a silvery green or blue color. These needles are flat and grow 360 degrees around the twig, protruding at nearly right angles. Fir needles are softer to the touch than spruce needles, which is one of the best ways to tell them apart from spruces.

What is the difference between white fir and Douglas fir?

White firs have small cones that are rather plain looking. These cones are generally in clusters at the tops of the trees. Douglas-firs have little projections that come out of the pine cones and are slightly larger. ... Botanists say that the cones have a long tridentine bract that protrudes prominently above each scale.

What kind of fir tree do I have?

The easiest way to identify fir trees is by looking at their needles and cones. Although they look similar to pine trees or spruce trees, the needle like leaves and the types of cones help to tell them apart. The needles of fir trees tend to be softer than pine or spruce.

What is a white fir tree?

Abies concolor, the white fir, is a coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. ... White fir live over 300 years and naturally occur at an elevation between 900–3,400 m (2,950–11,200 ft). It is popular as an ornamental landscaping tree and as a Christmas tree. The specific epithet concolor means "all one color".

What is special about the white fir?

The white fir is a hardy and ornamental North American native evergreen. Its attractive, blue-green needles curve outward and upward on branches and, when crushed, emit a lemon scent. This choice plant tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought, heat, and cold temperatures.

Is White Fir rot resistant?

Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable regarding decay resistance, with little resistance to insect attacks. Workability: Generally easy to work with both hand and machine tools, though some drying defects may be present or occur while drying the wood. Glues, stains, and finishes well.

How long do white fir trees live?

ex Hildebr., white fir, is a large forest tree from 60 to 200 feet in height that can live up to 300 years or more.

What is the difference between a fir tree and a pine tree?

If a twig bears needles in groups of two, three, or five, you can safely call it a pine. If the twig carries its needles singly, it's a good bet you've got a fir or a spruce. ... If it feels flat and doesn't roll easily, it's a fir. If the needle has four sides and, thus, rolls easily between your fingers, it's a spruce.

How do you identify evergreens?

Evergreen Tree Identification

It is often possible to identify the difference between the different types of evergreens such as firs, pines, and spruces by their needles and cones. For example, needles on pine trees grow in clusters of 2, 3, 4, or 5 on the twigs, whereas spruce and firs are attached singularly.

Do deer eat white fir trees?

Deer are destructive elements in the home landscape. They browse on woody plants, including fir trees, living off buds, twigs, tender shoots, leaves and bark.

What does white fir smell like?

White Fir essential oil can be used topically or aromatically promote calming, stabilizing, and even energizing effects for the user, with a clean, crisp aroma that is reminiscent of a wooded forest.

Is White Fir good firewood?

White fir is a softwood that burns fast and has a low BTU rating. It ignites easy so it makes excellent kindling and is good for starting fires. It burns well and can produce quick heat but doesn't last long so it's usually not considered the best wood for wood stoves and home heating.

What does a concolor fir look like?

Concolor fir has flat, blue-green needles. The tree grows in an almost perfect pyramidal Christmas tree shape when young (and it is grown commercially as a Christmas tree), with horizontally tiered branches. At maturity the tree develops a dome-like crown. ... A concolor fir in winter.

What is Hem fir lumber?

Hem-Fir is a species combination of Western Hemlock and the true firs (Noble, California Red, Grand, Pacific Silver and White fir). With strength properties slightly below Douglas Fir-Larch, this is an extremely versatile species group and useful for multiple, general-purpose framing applications.

Is fir a pine wood?

Fir has tight, close grain lines. Pine has broad grain lines that wander, making it far weaker than fir. The soft wood between the grain lines shrinks and expands, making the wood cup or twist. ... For stability and strength, fir is much less prone to warping or twisting, and much stronger than pine.

How long will Fir last outside?

It's also naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insects. According to research done by the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, completely untreated Douglas fir will last 10-15 years in outdoor uses.

How do you make pine rot resistant?

Consider these recommendations for making your wood last:

Use linseed or tung oil, or a product based on one of these. ...
Oil as needed. ...
Don't pile snow against wood. ...
Vertical boards resist rot. ...
Build on stone or cement foundations rather than burying support posts in the ground.

What is the most rot resistant wood?

Choose Rot Resistant Wood for Your Project

Some species of wood are naturally rot resistant due to complex chemical compounds that they evolved to protect themselves against decay. Well-known domestic examples include cedar, redwood, old-growth cypress, mulberry, yew, osage orange, and black locust.

Do deer eat concolor fir trees?

Deer will generally only dine on Balsam, Fraser or Canaan Fir trees. This tree could be cut back to a transplant size and might regrow but we are not always successful at that. The tree down the row (just out of the picture) is a Concolor fir that deer will not eat, I presume, because it has an orange aroma.

How fast does a fir tree grow?

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, "It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6-7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but the average growing time is 7 years." Read on for a roundup of Christmas trees that grow in the South, listed by typical growing speeds from fast to slow.

How do you plant concolor fir?

The concolor fir will grow in hardiness zones from 3-6 and will do quite well in poor dry soils, but should not be planted in clay or poorly drained soils. Does well with 15” of rain per year and does well in higher soil PH than any other Fir.