Abies procera
commonly known as Noble Fir also known as Red Fir. It also a Christmas Tree. It
is native to Europe, North America. It is a large evergreen tree that grow
40–70 m (135–230 ft.) in height and 2 m (6.5 ft.) trunk diameter, sometime grow
up to 90 m (295 ft.) tall and 2.7 m (8.9 ft.) diameter, with a narrow conic
crown. It is a strikingly handsome conifer and is particularly distinguished by
its glistening silvery green foliage and pale bluish-grey bark. It was
introduced from Washington or Oregon in 1830.
The new shoots are rusty brown. The buds are small, round
and resin-tipped. The needles are dense and upswept, massed on the top of the
twig. They are a shining bluish-green on both surfaces, the upper being
grooved. When pulled away they leave a neat round scar, not a peg.
Both sexes of flowers are found on the same tree. The
handsome male catkins are deep purple, and borne in groups on the underside of
the lower shoots. The female flowers, reddish or yellowish-green with long
bracts, are erect and are to be found near the top of the tree and are thus
seldom seen (though some specimens flower when only 15-20 feet tall). These
develop into decorative large erect cylindrical pale green cones, 6 inches or
more long and 3 inches or wider, developing dark grey scales partly covered by
long green, reflexed, feathery bracts. They become brown and ripen and
disintegrate in September leaving the persistent central spike on the tree.
The bark is thin at first and pale grey, with some resin
blisters. Later the bark is pale bluish or silver-grey, coming broken by narrow
grooves into irregular plates covered with scales that flake off to show a red
inner bark. The stem bears whorls of branches, and often shows a marked taper,
terminating in a stout leader that usually has to help to bear the weight of
many heavy cones on its short side ranches. The wood is brownish-white,
somewhat similar to Spruce, and is used for joinery, packing cases, paper pulp,
and general purposes.
The tree is doing well silviculturally, on a
small scale, in damp, cold mountain situations in USA and Europe, where it has
proved hardy and stands exposure well. It is a useful and attractive
under-plant. As other fir this is also plant as ornamental tree in home garden or park.
Abies procera as Christmas Tree
Abies procera - Noble Fir – Red Fir
Leaves of Noble Fir
Abies procera Leaves
Male Catkin of Noble Fir
Male Catkins of Abies procera
Female Catkins of Noble Fir
Female Catkins of Abies procera
Red Fir Female Flower
Seeds of Noble Fir
Bark of Noble Fir
Long Trunk of Noble Fir
Abies procera - Noble Fir – Red Fir As ornamental plant
