Native Fir Trees In California: 7 Types To Know
When driving through California’s forests and landscapes, one of the most common tree species that you encounter is Fir.
They are known for being able to grow well in cooler, wetter climates, which are common in many parts of California, especially in the coniferous forests along the coast. In fact, out of the 43 varieties, 7 of them are native to the golden state.
This article explores these 7 native fir trees in California.
Let’s get started.
1. Grand Fir
- Common Name: Grand Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies grandis
- Mature Height: 140-160ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Ornamental
The Grand Fir is one of the tallest native fir trees in California. When fully grown, it can reach heights of up to 48 meters (160 feet) and diameters of up to 120 centimeters (48 inches).
The tallest Grand Fir ever discovered was discovered in Redwood National Park. It was 78 meters (257 feet) tall and 2 meters (78 inches) in diameter. These trees have a long lifespan, with some living for more than 300 years.
Grand Fir trees can be found at elevations ranging from sea level to 700 meters in coastal coniferous forests in California (2,300 feet).
They do well in western Oregon and Washington at lower elevations and in the middle elevations of the mountains in the interior. Willow Creek, just south of the Russian River, is the species’ southern limit.
Asbill Creek in northeastern Mendocino County has the most inland stand of Grand Fir trees (2,000 feet). It is 600 meters above sea level. Despite being shade tolerant, Grand Fir trees are easily killed by fire and have little commercial value, so they are mostly grown for ornamental purposes.
The Grand Fir has a distinct appearance, featuring long, clearly stems with cylindrical internodes that form regularly spaced bands on the trunk of older trees.
Its linear leaves are arranged in flat sprays and measure 2.5-4 cm long, with a stomatal bloom only on the underside. The green barrel-shaped cones are 6-10 cm long, with bracts shorter than scales.
Young trees have smooth, light grey bark with numerous resin blisters, whereas mature trees have grey bark with deep, irregular furrows.
2. Pacific Silver Fir
- Common Name: Pacific Silver Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies amabilis
- Mature Height: 80-160ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Lumber, Plywood, Pulp, Christmas Trees
The Pacific Silver Fir is a tall, single-stemmed coniferous tree that can reach a height of 24-48 meters (80-160 feet) and a diameter of 30-120 centimeters (1-4 feet). This is one of the very few white bark trees in California.
Even though it is from California, the tallest tree is in Forks, Washington. It is 62 meters (203 feet) tall and 2.4 meters (80 feet) in diameter. Additionally, it has a long life, with some trees living for over 400 years.
The leaves are linear and 25 mm (1 inch) long, and appear to be arranged in flat sprays from below and clustered from above. It also has a silvery bloom on the underside and is grooved on the upper side.
The cones range in size from 9 to 15 centimeters and in color from purple to green. On younger trees, the bark is a thin and chalky white to ashy grey, with numerous resin blisters.
The Pacific Silver Fir is most often found in the Cascades and coastal mountains of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska. It only lives in the Marble and Siskiyou Mountains in California, which are between 5,600 and 7,000 feet high.
It prefers cool, moist environments, is shade tolerant and is vulnerable to fire damage. It grows slowly at first and can be found in the understory for decades before it is free of competition. Layering allows it to regenerate new stems and roots.
This tree’s wood is used to make lumber, plywood, pulp, and Christmas trees. It is also referred to as the Lovely Fir.
3. Subalpine Fir
- Common Name: Subalpine Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies lasiocarpa
- Mature Height: 60-100ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Ornamental, Lumber
The Subalpine Fir is a medium-sized tree that can grow up to 30 meters (100 feet) tall and 60 centimeters in diameter (24 inches). It can live for up to 250 years and has evolved a conical or spire-like crown to withstand heavy winter snow.
Near the tree line, the trees may take on a shrub-like appearance. The leaves are linear and 2.5-4 cm long, with a bottlebrush pattern.
The majority of the leaves are grouped on the upper sides of the twigs and have a white stomatal bloom on both surfaces. The cones are cylindrical, 6-10 cm long, and have a deep purple color. A mature tree’s bark is grey and covered in resin blisters.
From California to Alaska, the Subalpine Fir can be found in high-elevation coniferous forests. It is rare in California, where it can be found in isolated stands at elevations ranging from 1,700 to 2,100 meters in the Russian Wilderness Area, the Marble Mountains, the Trinity Alps, and the Siskiyou Mountains (5,500-7,000 feet).
It is harvested for lumber in the Rocky Mountains, but on the Pacific Slope, most Subalpine Fir trees are found in parks or wilderness areas. A variety of horticultural and ornamental species have been identified.
4. White Fir
- Common Name: White Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies concolor
- Mature Height: 130-180ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Timber
One of the commonly found native fir trees in California, White Fir is a tall, single-stemmed tree that can reach heights of 55 meters (180 feet) and diameters of 1.5 meters (60 inches).
The bark of old trees is grey and has deep cracks, but the bark of young trees is smooth and light grey with many resin blisters. It has linear leaves that are 4-7 cm long and arranged in flat or V-shaped sprays with round tips and twisted bases.
A white stomatal bloom grows on the underside of the leaves. It has barrel-shaped cones that mature to an olive-brown to purple color and are 7.5-12.5 cm long. These trees have a lifespan of up to 300 years.
White Fir is most common in montane coniferous forests in the mountains of California and the Rocky Mountains, where it grows at elevations ranging from 900 to 3000 meters (3000-10000 feet).
It can also be found in the Great Basin, and in the western Klamath Mountains of California and Oregon, it often grows with Grand Fir. When mature, this species is shade tolerant and somewhat fire resistant, and its abundance has increased due to fire suppression.
There are two types of White Fir: Abies concolor var. concolor and Abies concolor var. lowiana, with the latter having green upper surfaces with white stomatal bloom lines. White fir has no special uses and is not valued as a timber species, but it is valued as an ornamental tree.
5. Red Fir
- Common Name: Red Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies magnifica var. Magnifica
- Mature Height: 150-180ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Lumber, plywood, Christmas trees
The Red Fir is a tall, straight-stemmed tree with a diameter of up to 1.5 meters and a height of up to 55 meters (180 feet) (5 feet). When young, it has an elongated crown and when older, it has a dome-shaped crown.
It has linear leaves that are 2-4 cm long and barrel-shaped cones that are 15-23 cm long. The bark of mature trees is furrowed and reddish-brown, whereas the bark of young trees is grey with resin blisters.
The Red Fir grows in coniferous forests at altitudes between 1,200 and 2,800 meters (4,000 and 9,200 feet) in the Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Klamath Mountains, and northern Coast Ranges. It prefers cool, moist environments.
The Red Fir tolerates moderate shade but is susceptible to rot and insects. It is mostly used for lumber, plywood, Christmas trees (sold as silvertip fir), and greens. There is some disagreement about the taxonomic status of the Red Fir, Shasta Red Fir, and Noble Fir.
Most of the time, the length and shape of the cone bracts are used to tell these species apart. However, chemical tests are sometimes needed to tell noble and red fir hybrids apart. In the southern Sierra Nevada, Red Fir cones have extra bracts that make things even more complicated.
6. Bristlecone Fir
- Common Name: Bristlecone Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies bracteata
- Mature Height: 40-100ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Incense
Bristlecone firs are single-stemmed trees with a spire-like top and long, spreading limbs that reach nearly to the ground. Most mature trees are between 40 and 100 feet tall and have a circumference of 18 to 36 inches.
The length of each leaf is between 1.25 and 2.25 inches, making this plant linear in appearance. They have a white stomatal bloom beneath their flat, rigid, and pointed points.
The egg-shaped cones grow to a length of 6-10 centimeters (2.5-4 inches), and their prominently protruding bracts measure 2.5-5 centimeters (1-2.0 inches). Fissures appear in the bark of older trees.
The Santa Lucia Mountains are home to the Bristlecone Fir, which can be found in both coastal and montane forests. Its elevation range is between 200 and 1600 meters (700 and 5,200 feet), but it is most commonly found at 600 to 1,500 meters on stony, fire-resistant slopes (2,000 to 5,000 feet).
This fir is very common where it grows naturally, but it is the rarest true fir in North America. It can only handle a moderate amount of shade and burns easily. Spanish missionaries used the tree’s fragrant resin to make incense. This is how the tree got its other name, Santa Lucia Fir.
7. Noble Fir
- Common Name: Noble Fir
- Scientific Name: Abies procera
- Mature Height: 140-220ft
- Flowers: Cones
- Uses: Lumber, Christmas trees, ornamental
Among all the native fir trees in California, Noble Fir is the tallest species. It can reach a height of 67 meters (220 feet) and a diameter of 150 cm (60 in). It has a long, columnar trunk and a short, rounded crown.
It has a lifespan of over 400 years. The leaves are 2.5-4 cm (1-1.5 in) long and linear. They are found on the upper sides of the twigs and tend to parallel the twig, giving them the shape of a hockey stick.
The tip of the leaves is usually round, and the upper surface is grooved. On the new growth, they have brilliant silvery stomatal bloom, while the older leaves have faded stomatal bloom.
Cones are barrel-shaped, 10-15 cm (4-6 in) long, and range in color from olive brown to purple. The straw-colored bracts almost completely cover the scales and have spinelike tips. Mature tree bark is purplish on the inside and greyish-purple and furrowed on the outside.
Young trees have smooth grey bark that is dotted with resin blisters. The Noble Fir grows between 1,500 m (5,000 ft) and 2,000 m (6,000 ft) above sea level in upper montane to subalpine coniferous forests.
Young trees are easily killed by fire, but older trees have thick bark that makes them fire-resistant. The Noble Fir is harvested for lumber, Christmas trees, and ornamental purposes.
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Sources
The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.
- California Forests, University Of California
- California Native Plant Society
- Native Plants, California Department Of Fish & Wildlife
- California Natural Diversity Database
