| Fraser fir | |
|---|---|
_(Clingmans_Dome%2c_Great_Smoky_Mountains%2c_North_Carolina%2c_USA)_11_(36843487182).jpg) | |
| Foliage and cones,Clingmans Dome, North Carolina | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Pinaceae |
| Genus: | Abies |
| Section: | Abies sect.Balsamea |
| Species: | A. fraseri |
| Binomial name | |
| Abies fraseri | |
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| Natural range ofAbies fraseri | |
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| Close-up of natural range ofAbies fraseri | |
| Synonyms[3] | |
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Abies fraseri, commonly known asFraser's fir,[1] orFraser fir,[4] is anendangered species offir native to theAppalachian Mountains of thesoutheastern United States. It isendemic to theAppalachian Mountains, where it grows in 48 populations on sevenmontane regions in the range.[4][5]
Abies fraseri is closely related toAbies balsamea (balsam fir), of which it has occasionally been treated as asubspecies (asA. balsamea subsp.fraseri (Pursh) E.Murray[4]) or avariety (asA. balsamea var.fraseri (Pursh) Spach[6]).[7][8][9][10] Some botanists regard the variety of balsam fir namedAbies balsamea var.phanerolepis as a naturalhybrid withAbies fraseri, denominatedAbies × phanerolepis (Fernald) Liu.[8]
The speciesAbies fraseri is named after the Scottish botanistJohn Fraser (1750–1811), who made numerous botanical collections in the region.[8] His name is sometimes misspelled "Frasier", "Frazer" or "Frazier".[citation needed]
In the past, it was also sometimes known as "she-balsam" because resin could be "milked" from its bark blisters,[11] in contrast to the "he balsam" (orPicea rubens, the red spruce) which could not be milked. It has also been called southern balsam fir,[9] inviting confusion withA. balsamea.[12]
Abies fraseri is a smallevergreenconiferoustree typically growing to 10 and 15 m (30 and 50 ft) tall, rarely to 25 m (80 ft),[7][9] with a trunk diameter of 50–75 cm (20–30 in). The crown is conical, with straight branches either horizontal to angled upward at up to 40° from the trunk; it is dense when the tree is young and more open in maturity. Thebark is thin, smooth, grayish brown, and has numerousresinous blisters on juvenile trees, becoming fissured and scaly in maturity.
Theleaves are needle-like; arranged spirally on the twigs but somewhat twisted at their bases to form two rows spreading either side of the twig, with some above the twing but few or none below the twig.[4] They are 10–23 mm (0.39–0.91 in) long and 2–2.2 mm (0.079–0.087 in) broad, flat, flexible, and rounded or slightly notched at their apices (tips). They are dark to glaucous green adaxially (above), often with a small patch ofstomata near their apices; and with two silvery whitestomatal bands abaxially (on their undersides). Their strong fragrance resembles that ofturpentine.
Thecones are erect; cylindrical; 3.5–7 cm (1.4–2.8 in) long, rarely 8 cm (3.1 in), and 2.5–3 cm (0.98–1.18 in) broad, rarely 4 cm (1.6 in) broad; dark purple, turning pale brown when mature; often resinous; and with long reflexed green, yellow, or pale purplebract scales. The cones disintegrate when mature at 4–6 months old to release the winged seeds.[7][8][9]
Fraser's fir ismonoecious, with both male and female cones on the same tree.[7][13] The cone buds usually open from mid May to early June. Female cones are borne mostly near the top of the crown and on the distal ends of branches. The male cones are borne below female cones, but mostly in the upper half of the crown. Seed production may begin when trees are 15 years old. Seeds germinate well on mineral soil, moss, peat, decaying stumps and logs, and even on detritus or litter that is sufficiently moist.[14]
Abies fraseri is restricted to the southeasternAppalachian Mountains in southwesternVirginia, westernNorth Carolina and easternTennessee, where it occurs at high elevations, from 1,200 m (3,900 ft) to the top of the highest summit in the area,Mount Mitchell, at 2,037 m (6,683 ft).[7] It grows in acidic moist but well-drained sandyloam and is usually mixed withPicea rubens (red spruce). Other trees it grows with includeTsuga caroliniana (Carolina hemlock),Betula alleghaniensis (yellow birch),Betula papyrifera (paper birch), andAcer saccharum (sugar maple). The climate is cool and moist, with short, cool summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall.[7][8] It lives in sites that experience frequent cloud coverage, which, when paired with cooler temperatures, improves plant water status and high soil moisture.[15]
Abies fraseri can be severely damaged by a non-native insect, thebalsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae) from Europe. The insect's introduction and spread led to a rapid decline in the species across its range, with over 80 percent of mature trees having been killed. The rapid regeneration of seedlings with lack of canopy has led to good regrowth of healthy young trees where the mature forests once stood.[16] These young trees are now old enough for the bark to develop fissures, but despite this, there has been no resurgence by the adelgids.[16]
For this reason, the future of the species was still uncertain, though theMount Rogers (Virginia) population has largely evaded adelgid mortality. The decline in the southern Appalachians has contributed to loss of moss habitat which supports the endangeredspruce-fir moss spider (Microhexura montivaga), an obligate of theSouthern Appalachian spruce–fir forest ecoregion.[10]
By the late 1990s, the adelgid population had decreased. While two-thirds of adult trees had been killed by the 1980s, a study of theGreat Smoky Mountains National Park showed that as of 2020, the number of adult trees had increased over the previous 30 years, with three times as many onKuwohi, Tennessee's highest peak.[16]
Fraser's fir is an endangered species.[17] Threats includeclimate change and the aforementionedbalsam woolly adelgid.
Although not important as a source of timber, the combination of dense natural pyramidal form, strong limbs, soft long-retained needles, dark blue-green color, pleasant scent and excellent shipping characteristics, has led to Fraser's fir being widely used as aChristmas tree.[18] Fraser's fir has been used more times as theWhite House Christmas tree than any other tree.
The Christmas decoration trade is a multimillion-dollar business in the southern Appalachians. North Carolina produces the majority of Fraser's fir Christmas trees.[19] It requires from seven to ten years in the field to produce a 6–7-foot-tall (1.8–2.1-meter) tree. In 2005, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation making the Fraser's fir the official Christmas tree of North Carolina.
Fraser's fir is cultivated from seedlings in several northern states and inQuebec, especially for the Christmas tree trade.[17] It is also grown inBedgebury National Pinetum and other collections in the United Kingdom.[17]
One metric that places the Fraser Fir as the most desired species of Christmas Trees is measured by the sales in New England. Per capita consumers in the New England states purchase the most Christmas Tree products in the world, as a percentage of the population. The largest producing tree states in New England is NH, VT, then Maine respectively. Places like Colebrook NH are central growing regions located only a few miles away from VT, ME, and Qc Canada. Fraser are the most desired tree according to these Christmas tree growers associations for these states. These trees are sold throughout New England with the greatest volume of consumer transactions occurring in Boston MA. Second in total sales of evergreen products is Nashua NH, and third is Litchfield NH.
