| Abies procera | |
|---|---|
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| Noble firs inGifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Pinaceae |
| Genus: | Abies |
| Species: | A. procera |
| Binomial name | |
| Abies procera | |
 | |
| Natural range | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Abies procera, thenoble fir, also calledred fir,[3] is a species offir native to theCascade Range andPacific Coast Ranges of the northwesternPacific Coast of the United States. It occurs at altitudes of 300–1,500 meters (980–4,920 ft).
A. procera is a largeevergreenconifer with a narrow conic crown, growing up to 70 meters (230 ft) tall and 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in trunk diameter, rarely to 90 m (295 ft) tall and 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) thick.[4] Thebark on young trees is smooth and gray withresin blisters, becoming red-brown, rough and fissured on old trees, usually less than 5 centimeters (2 in) thick; the inner bark is reddish.[5] Theleaves are needle-like, 1–3.5 cm (1⁄2–1+1⁄2 in) long, glaucous blue-green above and below with strongstomal bands, and a blunt to notched tip. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but twisted slightly S-shaped to be upcurved above the shoot. Thecones are upright,11–22 cm (4+1⁄4–8+3⁄4 in) long and6 cm (2+1⁄4 in) thick, with the purple scales almost completely hidden by the long exserted yellow-green bract scales;[5] they ripen brown and disintegrate to release the wingedseeds in fall. Viable seeds are only produced every few years.[5]
The species can grow for up to 200 years, and is the world's tallest true fir.[5]
David Douglas discovered the species in theCascade Range in the early 19th century, calling it "noble fir"[5] and naming itPinus nobilis.[6] This name however could not be used in the genusAbies, as the same name had already been used several years earlier byAlbert Dietrich for a different species (Abies alba);[7] thus,Alfred Rehder gave it the new nameAbies procera in 1940.[2][8] His chosen specific epithetprocera means "tall".[9]
The species is native to the Cascade Range andPacific Coast Ranges of westernWashington andOregon, as well as the extreme northwest ofCalifornia. It is a high-altitude tree, typically occurring at altitudes of 300–1,500 m (980–4,920 ft), often above 600 m (2,000 ft),[5] and only rarely reaching thetree line.
The species is closely related toAbies magnifica (red fir), which replaces it further southeast in southernmost Oregon and California, being best distinguished by the leaves having a groove along the midrib on the upper side; red fir does not show this. Red fir also tends to have the leaves less closely packed, with the shoot bark visible between the leaves, whereas the shoot is largely hidden in noble fir. Red fir cones also mostly have shorter bracts, except inA. magnifica var.shastensis (Shasta red fir); thisvarietyhybridizes with noble fir[5] and is itself a hybrid between noble fir and red fir.[4] As opposed to Shasta red fir, noble fir isshade-intolerant, leaving its lower trunk branchless.[5]
Noble fir occurs withDouglas-fir andwestern hemlock at middle elevations, and withPacific silver fir andmountain hemlock at higher elevations.[5] It occurs in cool, humid areas similar to those occupied by Pacific silver fir.[5] While it benefits from occasional disturbances (e.g. the1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens[4]), it is very susceptible to fire but is usually protected by its moist environment.[5] It is relatively resistant to damage from wind, insects or diseases.[5] Although the roots grow slowly, it can survive in rocky soil as long as it is moist.[5]
The Paiute used the foliage to treat coughs and colds.[5]
The superior light and strongwood was recognized early by loggers, who called it "larch" to avoid conflating it with inferior firs.[5] The wood is used for specialized applications such as ladders,[5] general structural purposes andpaper manufacture. It may have been used for the frames of theRoyal Air Force'sMosquito bombers during World War II.[5]
David Douglas sent noble fir seeds to Britain in 1830, introducing it to horticulturalists.[5] It is a popular and favoredChristmas tree.[4][5] The prostrate graycultivarA. procera (Glauca Group) 'Glauca Prostrata' has gained theRoyal Horticultural Society'sAward of Garden Merit.[10][11]
Noble fir has becomenaturalized in Britain (particularly in Scotland)[12][13] and Denmark.[14]
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