Difference between revisions of "Fir" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Taxobox
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| color = lightgreen
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| name = ''Abies'' - firs
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| image = Abies koreana (szyszki).JPG
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| image_width = 230px
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| image_caption = [[Korean Fir]] (''Abies koreana'') cone and foliage
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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| divisio = [[Pinophyta]]
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| classis = [[Pinophyta|Pinopsida]]
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| ordo = [[Pinales]]
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| familia = [[Pinaceae]]
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| genus = '''''Abies'''''
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| genus_authority = [[Philip Miller|Mill.]]
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| subdivision_ranks = Species
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| subdivision = See text
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}}
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[[Image:Abgragra-top.jpg|thumb|right|''Abies grandis'' foliage]]
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[[Image:Abies cone & bits.jpg|right|thumb|Intact and disintegrated Bulgarian Fir cones]]
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[[Image:Abies_Orjen_foliage.jpg|thumb|right|''Abies alba'' foliage from Dinaric calcareous fir forests on Mt. Orjen]]
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'''Firs''' (''Abies'') are a genus of between 45-55 species of [[evergreen]] [[Pinophyta|conifers]] in the family [[Pinaceae]]. All are [[tree]]s, reaching heights of 10-80 m (30-260 ft) tall and trunk diameters of 0.5-4 m (2-12 ft) when mature. Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by their needle-like [[leaf|leaves]], attached to the twig by a base that resembles a small suction cup; and by erect, cylindrical [[Conifer cone|cones]] 5-25 cm (2-10 in) long that disintegrate at maturity to release the winged [[seed]]s. Identification of the species is based on the size and arrangement of the leaves, the size and shape of the cones, and whether the bract scales of the cones are long and exserted, or short and hidden inside the cone. They are most closely related to the [[cedar]]s (''Cedrus''). Firs are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in [[mountain]]s over most of the range.
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Firs are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species including ''[[Chionodes|Chionodes abella]]'' (recorded on [[White Fir]]), [[Autumnal Moth]], [[Korscheltellus|Conifer Swift]] (a pest of [[Balsam Fir]]), [[Engrailed|The Engrailed]], [[Grey Pug]], [[Mottled Umber]] and [[Pine Beauty]].
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[[Douglas-fir]]s are not true firs, being of the genus ''[[Pseudotsuga]]''.
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==Classification==
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* '''Section ''Balsamea''''' (Taiga|boreal Asia and North America, and high mountains further south)
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**''[[Fraser Fir|Abies fraseri]]'' - Fraser Fir
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**''[[Balsam Fir|Abies balsamea]]'' - Balsam Fir
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***''Abies balsamea'' var. ''phanerolepis'' - Bracted Balsam Fir
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**''[[Subalpine Fir|Abies bifolia]]'' - Rocky Mountains Subalpine Fir
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**''[[Subalpine Fir|Abies lasiocarpa]]'' - Coast Range Subalpine Fir
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***''Abies lasiocarpa'' var. ''arizonica'' - Corkbark Fir
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**''[[Siberian Fir|Abies sibirica]]'' - Siberian Fir
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**''[[Sakhalin Fir|Abies sachalinensis]]'' - Sakhalin Fir
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**''[[Korean Fir|Abies koreana]]'' - Korean Fir
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**''[[Khinghan Fir|Abies nephrolepis]]'' - Khinghan Fir
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**''[[Veitch's Fir|Abies veitchii]]'' - Veitch's Fir
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***''Abies veitchii'' var. ''sikokiana'' - Shikoku Fir
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* '''Section ''Grandis''''' (western North America to Mexico and Guatemala, lowlands in north, moderate altitudes in south)
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**''[[Grand Fir|Abies grandis]]'' - Grand Fir or Giant Fir
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***''Abies grandis'' var. ''idahoensis'' - Interior Grand Fir or Giant Fir
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**''[[White Fir|Abies concolor]]'' - White Fir
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***''Abies concolor'' subsp. ''lowiana'' - Low's White Fir
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**''[[Durango Fir|Abies durangensis]]'' - Durango Fir
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***''Abies durangensis'' var. ''coahuilensis'' - Coahuila Fir
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**''[[Jalisco Fir|Abies flinckii]]'' - Jalisco Fir
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**''[[Guatemalan Fir|Abies guatemalensis]]'' - Guatemalan Fir
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* '''Section ''Abies''''' (central, south & east Europe, Asia Minor)
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**''[[Sicilian Fir|Abies nebrodensis]]'' - Sicilian Fir
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**''[[Silver Fir|Abies alba]]'' - Silver Fir
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**''[[Bulgarian Fir|Abies borisii-regis]]'' - Bulgarian Fir
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**''[[Greek Fir|Abies cephalonica]]'' - Greek Fir
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**''[[Nordmann Fir|Abies nordmanniana]]'' - Nordmann Fir or Caucasian Fir
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***''Abies nordmanniana'' subsp. ''equi-trojani'' - Turkish Fir
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**''[[Cilician Fir|Abies cilicica]]'' - Cilician Fir
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* '''Section ''Piceaster''''' (southern Spain, northwest Africa)
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**''[[Spanish Fir|Abies pinsapo]]'' - Spanish Fir
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***''Abies pinsapo'' var. ''marocana'' - Moroccan Fir
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**''[[Algerian Fir|Abies numidica]]'' - Algerian Fir
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* '''Section ''Momi''''' (east & central Asia, Himalaya, generally at low to moderate altitudes)
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**''[[Taiwan Fir|Abies kawakamii]]'' - Taiwan Fir
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**''[[Nikko Fir|Abies homolepis]]'' - Nikko Fir
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**''[[Min Fir|Abies recurvata]]'' - Min Fir
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***''Abies recurvata'' var. ''ernestii'' - Min Fir
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**''[[Momi Fir|Abies firma]]'' - Momi Fir
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**''[[Baishanzu Fir|Abies beshanzuensis]]'' - Baishanzu Fir
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**''[[Manchurian Fir|Abies holophylla]]'' - Manchurian Fir
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**''[[Shensi Fir|Abies chensiensis]]'' - Shensi Fir
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***''Abies chensiensis'' subsp. ''salouenensis'' - Salween Fir
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**''[[Pindrow Fir|Abies pindrow]]'' - Pindrow Fir
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**''[[Ziyuan Fir|Abies ziyuanensis]]'' - Ziyuan Fir
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* '''Section ''Amabilis''''' (Pacific coast mountains, North America and Japan, in high rainfall mountains)
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**''[[Pacific Silver Fir|Abies amabilis]]'' - Pacific Silver Fir
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**''[[Maries' Fir|Abies mariesii]]'' - Maries' Fir
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* '''Section ''Pseudopicea''''' ([[Himalaya|Sino-Himalayan mountains]], at high altitude)
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**''[[Delavay's Fir|Abies delavayi]]'' - Delavay's Fir
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**''[[Faber's Fir|Abies fabri]]'' - Faber's Fir
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**''[[Forrest's Fir|Abies forrestii]]'' - Forrest's Fir
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**''[[Cheng's Fir|Abies chengii]]'' - Cheng's Fir
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**''[[Bhutan Fir|Abies densa]]'' - Bhutan Fir
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**''[[East Himalayan Fir|Abies spectabilis]]'' - East Himalayan Fir
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**''[[Farges' Fir|Abies fargesii]]'' - Farges' Fir
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**''[[Fanjingshan Fir|Abies fanjingshanensis]]'' - Fanjingshan Fir
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**''[[Yuanbaoshan Fir|Abies yuanbaoshanensis]]'' - Yuanbaoshan Fir
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**''[[Flaky Fir|Abies squamata]]'' - Flaky Fir
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* '''Section ''Oiamel''''' ([[Mexico]], high altitudes in mountains)
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**''[[Sacred Fir|Abies religiosa]]'' - Sacred Fir
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**''[[Abies vejarii]]'' - Vejar's Fir
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***''Abies vejarii'' var. ''mexicana'' - Mexican Fir
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**''[[Hickel's Fir|Abies hickelii]]'' - Hickel's Fir
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***''Abies hickelii'' var. ''oaxacana'' - Oaxaca Fir
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* '''Section ''Nobilis''''' (western [[United States|USA]], high altitudes)
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**''[[Noble Fir|Abies procera]]'' - Noble Fir
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**''[[Red Fir|Abies magnifica]]'' - Red Fir
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***''Abies magnifica'' var. ''shastensis'' - Shasta Red Fir
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* '''Section ''Bracteata''''' ([[California]] coast)
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**''[[Bristlecone Fir|Abies bracteata]]'' - Bristlecone Fir
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==Uses==
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The [[wood]] of most firs is considered unsuitable for general [[timber]] use, and is often used as pulp or for the manufacture of [[plywood]] and rough timber. [[Nordmann Fir]], [[Noble Fir]], [[Fraser Fir]] and [[Balsam Fir]] are very popular [[Christmas tree]]s, generally considered to be the best trees for this purpose, with aromatic foliage that does not shed many needles on drying out. Many are also very decorative garden trees, notably [[Korean Fir]] and Fraser Fir, which produce brightly coloured cones even when very young, still only 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall.
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==External links==
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{{commonscat|Abies}}
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* [http://www.conifers.org/pi/ab/index.htm Gymnosperm Database - ''Abies'']
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* [http://www.pinetum.org/cones/ABIEScones.htm Arboretum de Villardebelle cone photos: Images of cones of selected species]
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[[Category:Life sciences]]
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[[Category:Plants]]
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{{credit|Fir|155626847}}

Revision as of 00:11, 17 September 2007


Abies - firs
Korean Fir (Abies koreana) cone and foliage
Korean Fir (Abies koreana) cone and foliage
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Pinales
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Abies
Mill.
Species

See text

Abies grandis foliage
Intact and disintegrated Bulgarian Fir cones
Abies alba foliage from Dinaric calcareous fir forests on Mt. Orjen

Firs (Abies) are a genus of between 45-55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. All are trees, reaching heights of 10-80 m (30-260 ft) tall and trunk diameters of 0.5-4 m (2-12 ft) when mature. Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by their needle-like leaves, attached to the twig by a base that resembles a small suction cup; and by erect, cylindrical cones 5-25 cm (2-10 in) long that disintegrate at maturity to release the winged seeds. Identification of the species is based on the size and arrangement of the leaves, the size and shape of the cones, and whether the bract scales of the cones are long and exserted, or short and hidden inside the cone. They are most closely related to the cedars (Cedrus). Firs are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range.

Firs are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Chionodes abella (recorded on White Fir), Autumnal Moth, Conifer Swift (a pest of Balsam Fir), The Engrailed, Grey Pug, Mottled Umber and Pine Beauty.

Douglas-firs are not true firs, being of the genus Pseudotsuga.

Classification

  • Section Balsamea (Taiga|boreal Asia and North America, and high mountains further south)
    • Abies fraseri - Fraser Fir
    • Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir
      • Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis - Bracted Balsam Fir
    • Abies bifolia - Rocky Mountains Subalpine Fir
    • Abies lasiocarpa - Coast Range Subalpine Fir
      • Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica - Corkbark Fir
    • Abies sibirica - Siberian Fir
    • Abies sachalinensis - Sakhalin Fir
    • Abies koreana - Korean Fir
    • Abies nephrolepis - Khinghan Fir
    • Abies veitchii - Veitch's Fir
      • Abies veitchii var. sikokiana - Shikoku Fir
  • Section Grandis (western North America to Mexico and Guatemala, lowlands in north, moderate altitudes in south)
    • Abies grandis - Grand Fir or Giant Fir
      • Abies grandis var. idahoensis - Interior Grand Fir or Giant Fir
    • Abies concolor - White Fir
      • Abies concolor subsp. lowiana - Low's White Fir
    • Abies durangensis - Durango Fir
      • Abies durangensis var. coahuilensis - Coahuila Fir
    • Abies flinckii - Jalisco Fir
    • Abies guatemalensis - Guatemalan Fir
  • Section Abies (central, south & east Europe, Asia Minor)
    • Abies nebrodensis - Sicilian Fir
    • Abies alba - Silver Fir
    • Abies borisii-regis - Bulgarian Fir
    • Abies cephalonica - Greek Fir
    • Abies nordmanniana - Nordmann Fir or Caucasian Fir
      • Abies nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani - Turkish Fir
    • Abies cilicica - Cilician Fir
  • Section Piceaster (southern Spain, northwest Africa)
    • Abies pinsapo - Spanish Fir
      • Abies pinsapo var. marocana - Moroccan Fir
    • Abies numidica - Algerian Fir
  • Section Momi (east & central Asia, Himalaya, generally at low to moderate altitudes)
    • Abies kawakamii - Taiwan Fir
    • Abies homolepis - Nikko Fir
    • Abies recurvata - Min Fir
      • Abies recurvata var. ernestii - Min Fir
    • Abies firma - Momi Fir
    • Abies beshanzuensis - Baishanzu Fir
    • Abies holophylla - Manchurian Fir
    • Abies chensiensis - Shensi Fir
      • Abies chensiensis subsp. salouenensis - Salween Fir
    • Abies pindrow - Pindrow Fir
    • Abies ziyuanensis - Ziyuan Fir
  • Section Amabilis (Pacific coast mountains, North America and Japan, in high rainfall mountains)
    • Abies amabilis - Pacific Silver Fir
    • Abies mariesii - Maries' Fir
  • Section Pseudopicea (Sino-Himalayan mountains, at high altitude)
    • Abies delavayi - Delavay's Fir
    • Abies fabri - Faber's Fir
    • Abies forrestii - Forrest's Fir
    • Abies chengii - Cheng's Fir
    • Abies densa - Bhutan Fir
    • Abies spectabilis - East Himalayan Fir
    • Abies fargesii - Farges' Fir
    • Abies fanjingshanensis - Fanjingshan Fir
    • Abies yuanbaoshanensis - Yuanbaoshan Fir
    • Abies squamata - Flaky Fir
  • Section Oiamel (Mexico, high altitudes in mountains)
    • Abies religiosa - Sacred Fir
    • Abies vejarii - Vejar's Fir
      • Abies vejarii var. mexicana - Mexican Fir
    • Abies hickelii - Hickel's Fir
      • Abies hickelii var. oaxacana - Oaxaca Fir
  • Section Nobilis (western USA, high altitudes)
    • Abies procera - Noble Fir
    • Abies magnifica - Red Fir
      • Abies magnifica var. shastensis - Shasta Red Fir
  • Section Bracteata (California coast)
    • Abies bracteata - Bristlecone Fir

Uses

The wood of most firs is considered unsuitable for general timber use, and is often used as pulp or for the manufacture of plywood and rough timber. Nordmann Fir, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir and Balsam Fir are very popular Christmas trees, generally considered to be the best trees for this purpose, with aromatic foliage that does not shed many needles on drying out. Many are also very decorative garden trees, notably Korean Fir and Fraser Fir, which produce brightly coloured cones even when very young, still only 1-2 m (3-6 ft) tall.

External links

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