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Plants that fill a similar niche:: Abies concolor; Abies koreana; Juniperus scopulorum
Abies lasiocarpa has some common insect problems:: Pests of Conifers

Mountain Balsam Fir Abies lasiocarpa

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling

AY-bees las-ee-oh-KAR-pah

Description

Medium to large size tree with narrow crown and dense, short drooping branches. Best grown in moist, cool climate as in the high altitude of the Pacific Northwest. The wood of this plant is white, soft, and decays quickly. This tree helps create forests in severe and disturbed sites. It provides cover, which helps in rehabilitating the landscape and protecting watersheds. This tree grows in forests that are in high water-yielding areas in the western US and are very significant in water managements and conservation.

Bare root transplanting is recommended.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: See the fact sheet for potential insect problems to the left

See this plant in the following landscape:

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Duflon'
'Glauca Compacta'
var. arizonica 'Compacta'

'Duflon', 'Glauca Compacta', var. arizonica 'Compacta'

Tags:

#purple #evergreen #full sun tolerant #large tree #blue needles #slow growing #pyramidal #white bark #alpine #blue-green leaves #showy cones

Abies lasiocarpa cones — Malcolm Manners CC BY 2.0

Abies lasiocarpa macro — JaySturner CC BY 2.0

Abies lasiocarpa trees — wild trees CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica 'Glauca Compacta' seedling — Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica 'Glauca Compacta' seedling F.D.Richards CC-BY-SA 2.0

Abies lasiocarpa bark — Abies lasiocarpa bark Franz Xaver CC BY-SA 3.0

Abies lasiocarpa by cones and form — Abies lasiocarpa by cones and form Walter Siegmund CC BY-SA 3.0

Abies lasiocarpa cones and needles — Abies lasiocarpa cones and needles Walter Siegmund (talk) CC BY-SA 3.0

Abies lasiocarpa cones — Abies lasiocarpa cones Walter Siegmund (talk) CC BY-SA 3.0

Abies lasiocarpa cones — Abies lasiocarpa cones Walter Siegmund CC BY-SA 3.0

Abies lasiocarpa youngcones — Abies lasiocarpa youngcones Quinn Dombrowski CC-BY-SA 2.0

SubalpineFir bark — SubalpineFir bark Wsiegmund CC BY-SA 3.0

Form (Hood River County, OR)-Late Fall — Form (Hood River County, OR)-Late Fall Douglas Goldman, USDA CC BY-NC 4.0

Cultivars / Varieties:

'Duflon'
'Glauca Compacta'
var. arizonica 'Compacta'

'Duflon', 'Glauca Compacta', var. arizonica 'Compacta'

Tags:

#purple #evergreen #full sun tolerant #large tree #blue needles #slow growing #pyramidal #white bark #alpine #blue-green leaves #showy cones

Attributes:
Genus:

Abies

Species:

lasiocarpa

Family:

Pinaceae

Uses (Ethnobotany):

The wood of this plant is used for construction of boxes, doors, poles, frames, and fuel. Small trees are commonly used as Christmas trees.

Life Cycle:

Woody

Country Or Region Of Origin:

Alaska to Southern New Mexico

Whole Plant Traits:
Plant Type:

Tree

Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

Needled Evergreen

Habit/Form:

Columnar

Pyramidal

Growth Rate:

Slow

Texture:

Medium

Cultural Conditions:
Light:

Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

Soil Drainage:

Good Drainage

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:

5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a

Fruit:
Fruit Color:

Black

Brown/Copper

Gold/Yellow

Purple/Lavender

Red/Burgundy

Fruit Length:

> 3 inches

Fruit Description:

This plant has cones that are burgundy, brown, or black. The cones are erect and 2 to 4 inches long.

Flowers:
Flower Color:

Purple/Lavender

Leaves:
Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:

Needled Evergreen

Leaf Color:

Blue

Green

White

Leaf Type:

Needles

Leaf Arrangement:

Opposite

Hairs Present:

No

Leaf Length:

1-3 inches

Leaf Description:

Needles 1 to 1.5 inches long, crowded, pale bluish green.

Bark:
Bark Color:

Light Gray

Surface/Attachment:

Fissured

Smooth

Bark Description:

Grayish to chalk white bark

Stem:
Stem Color:

Gray/Silver

Stem Is Aromatic:

No

Stem Form:

Straight