Abies concolor

Pinaceae Abies concolor (Gordon) Lindl. ex Hildebr.

Etymology
Abies refers to ‘to rise’; indicating large trees.
concolor refers to ‘same colour’; indicating the similar colour on both sides of its needles.

Colloquial Name
White fir, Colorado fir, Low’s fir, California white fir

Description
These trees can grow between 60 and 70 meters tall, with trunks reaching a diameter of 2 to 2.5 meters. The trunk is straight, cylindrical, and unbranched at the base, supporting a narrow, cone-shaped crown that becomes more flat-topped in older trees. The bark of young trees is smooth and varies in color from gray to whitish, often dotted with noticeable resin blisters. As the tree matures, the bark darkens to gray with yellowish-brown tones, becoming scaly and deeply fissured at the lower trunk.

The main branches are relatively short and form evenly spaced horizontal layers in young trees. As the tree ages, the lower branches begin to droop and curve downward, while the smaller secondary branches spread outward. The young twigs are slender and start off yellowish-green, gradually turning grayish-brown. Their surface is smooth or has shallow grooves, and they are mostly hairless, though very young shoots may have a fine fuzz. The scars left by fallen leaves are circular and light-colored.

The buds are small, rounded, and measure about 3 to 5 mm in length. They produce a sticky resin. The bud scales are triangular, brown, and remain attached to the tree for two to three years before falling off. The needles are arranged in a spiral pattern along the branches but may form irregular rows in some trees. They spread outward, sometimes fanning out in a comb-like fashion, while in other cases, they curve upward and forward. On cone-bearing branches, they stand more erect. The needles range from 4 to 6 cm long, sometimes reaching 7 cm, and are 2 to 3 mm wide. They are often curved or twisted at the base and have a long, narrow shape. Some are slightly sickle-shaped, while others are more flattened or have a faint ridge along their length. Their color varies from green to bluish-green. The tips of the needles can be rounded or sharply pointed. Small pores called stomata form a few scattered lines on the upper surface and two distinct bands separated by a midrib on the underside.

The pollen cones grow at the base of the needles, hanging downward on short stalks. They measure between 1.2 and 2 cm long and have scales that are pinkish or red. The seed cones grow upright along the branches, either directly attached or on very short stalks. They are cylindrical or oval-shaped, with a rounded or slightly indented tip. When young, their color varies, usually appearing pale yellow-green, though some may take on a purple-violet hue. As they mature, they turn a light brown. The cones range from 7 to 12 cm long, sometimes reaching up to 15 cm, and measure 3 to 4.5 cm wide. After releasing their seeds, the central cone structure remains on the tree as a narrow, dark brown remnant.

The cone scales are fan-shaped and sometimes wider than they are long, measuring 2.5 to 3 cm in length and 3 to 3.5 cm in width at the middle of the cone. Their surface is smooth but has a fine fuzz, especially on the exposed parts. The upper edge is unbroken, while the base narrows into a short, often curved stalk. The bracts inside the cone are oblong with two small side extensions and a short pointed tip. They measure 1 to 1.5 cm in length and remain hidden inside the cone.

The seeds are wedge-shaped, about 8 to 10 mm long, and have a dull light brown color. Each seed has a broad, elongated wing that measures between 15 and 20 mm long, allowing it to be carried by the wind. The wing is a shiny, light brown shade.

Distribution

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TDWG Codes
7, 73, COL, IDA, ORE, WYO, 76, ARI, CAL, NEV, UTA, 77, NWM, 79, MXE, MXE-CU, MXN, MXN-BC, MXN-SO

Habitat
The natural habitats for Abies concolor are temperate forests. It is naturally found at an elevation of at least 3400 up to 3400 metres. Other conifers associated with Abies concolor are:

USDA Hardiness zone – 4
Abies concolor is hardy to USDA Zone 4 (Bannister & Neuner, 2001), meaning its frost tolerance lies somewhere in the range of -34.4C (-30F) to 28.9C (-20F).

Species Continuity
The population trend for Abies concolor is stable. There are no known threats for Abies concolor.

IUCN Category – LC
According to the IUCN Red List, Abies concolor has been assigned the status of LC(Least Concern). This means that according to the Red List criteria, this species is not qualified as threatened.

Superordinate Taxa
The nearest superordinate taxon for Abies concolor is Sect. Grandis. The coordinate taxa for Abies concolor are therefore:

Abies concolor is further placed under Abietoideae. Abies concolor is also placed under Pinaceae.

This map shows botanical records (points) for this taxon. By opening the map’s sidebar (collapsed by default) you can toggle visibility or change the basemap. By clicking on records, you reveal more information.

Cultivars
‘Albospica’, ‘Archer’s Dwarf’ , ‘Argentea’, ‘Ashbury’, ‘Aurea’, ‘Bella’, ‘Biella’, ‘Big Shot No. 14’, ‘Birthday Broom’, ‘Blue Cloak’, ‘Blue Safir’, ‘Blue Saphir’, ‘Blue Sapphire’, ‘Blue Spreader’, ‘Brady’, ‘Breburda’, ‘Brevifolia’, ‘Bryce Canyon’, ‘Bugy Wugy’, ‘Butzii’, ‘Candicans’, ‘Candicans Nana’, ‘Černošice’, ‘Cesta’, ‘Charming Chub’, ‘Chlum’, ‘Chlum U Třeboně’, ‘Cimaron’, ‘Clarence’, ‘Compacta’, ‘Conica’, ‘Conica WB’, ‘Creamy’, ‘Děčín’, ‘Dulko’, ‘Eagle Point’, ‘Elkin’s Weeping’ , ‘Fagerhult’, ‘Falcata’, ‘Fastigiata’, ‘Frýdek Místek’, ‘Gable’s Weeping’ , ‘Glenmore’, ‘Globosa’, ‘Hexe’, ‘Hillier’s Dwarf’ , ‘Horstmann’s Igel’ , ‘Husky Pup’, ‘Hutberg 2’, ‘Hutberg 3’, ‘Hutberg WB1’, ‘Igel’, ‘Jeni Rae Broom’, ‘Kalous’, ‘King’s Gap’ , ‘Kinky’, ‘Kojákovice’, ‘Kuba’, ‘Kučera’, ‘La Veta’, ‘Malík’, ‘Masonic Broom’, ‘Mike Stern’, ‘Minima’, ‘Mirek’, ‘Mora’, ‘Morton’, ‘Nana Kalous’, ‘Nechyba’, ‘Nepomuk’, ‘Od Maleho’, ‘Olešná’, ‘Olson Broom’, ‘Ostrov’, ‘Ostrov nad Ohří’, ‘Pendula’, ‘Piggelmee’, ‘Pineola Dwarf’, ‘Pyramidalis’, ‘Recurva’, ‘Rex No. 1’, ‘Rochester’, ‘Saint John’, ‘Schuberth’, ‘Schuberthii’, ‘Scooter’, ‘Sherwood Blue’, ‘Sidekick’, ‘Sisi’, ‘Sláma’, ‘Šourek Hexe’, ‘Spálený Vrch’, ‘Stanwood’, ‘Szuma’, ‘Toman’, ‘Topinka’, ‘Topinka Osek’, ‘Variegata’, ‘Violacea’, ‘Violacea Compacta’, ‘Violacea Prostrate’, ‘Wattezii’, ‘Wattezii Prostrate’, ‘Wattez Prostrate’, ‘Wintergold’, ‘Zábělá’