Abies grandis aka Giant Fir

Abies grandis, also known as grand fir, giant fir, lowland white fir, great silver fir, western white fir, Vancouver fir, or Oregon fir, is a fir tree native to the Pacific Northwest and Northern California of North America. It can be found at altitudes ranging from sea level to 1,700 meters. This species is a prominent component of the Grand Fir/Douglas Fir Ecoregion in the Cascade Range. The grand fir can reach heights of 40-70 meters, potentially making it the tallest Abies species in the world. It is divided into two varieties: the taller coast grand fir, found west of the Cascade Mountains, and the shorter interior grand fir, found east of the Cascades. It was first described by David Douglas in 1831 and is closely related to white fir. The bark of Abies grandis was traditionally believed to have medicinal properties, and it is a popular Christmas tree in the United States. Its lumber is classified as a softwood and is harvested as a hem fir. It is utilized in paper-making, as well as for construction purposes such as framing and flooring, due to its resistance to splitting and splintering. In terms of morphology, Abies grandis is a globose, cone-shaped dwarf pine with upright branches. It has dark green needles that appear silver-grey underneath. During the summer and autumn, small reddish-brown cones can be observed. This pine is suitable for rockeries or small gardens. The tree is typically characterized by a conic crown, which may become round-topped or straggly with age. The bark starts off gray and thin, but as it ages, it turns brown and often reveals reddish periderm in furrows bounded by hard flat ridges. The branches spread and droop, while the twigs are mostly opposite and light brown with a pubescent texture. The exposed buds are purple, green, or brown, and resinous. The leaves are flexible, 2-ranked, and range from 1 to 6 cm in length and 1.5 to 2.5 mm in width. They have a pungent, faintly turpentinelike odor and a light to dark lustrous green adaxial surface. The apex of the leaves is distinctly notched. The pollen cones can display various colors, including bluish red, purple, orange, yellow, or green. The seed cones are cylindrical and measure about 5 to 7 cm in length and 3 to 3.5 cm in width. They are typically light green, dark blue, deep purple, or gray. The seeds have a tan body and are accompanied by wings that are approximately 1.5 times as long. The cotyledons range from 4 to 7 in number. Abies grandis exhibits some morphological variation, leading to the recognition of two varieties: Abies grandis var. grandis and Abies grandis var. idahoensis. The former is found in coastal areas and grows at a faster rate, while the latter resembles A. concolor in growth rate and has more assurgent shade foliage. However, the differences between the varieties are not significant enough to warrant separate classification, and they are often considered synonymous with the type. At the southern range limits of A. grandis, it interbreeds with A. concolor var. lowiana, resulting in populations of hybrid trees known as "Abies grandicolor." This phenomenon is most notable in regions near the range map's boundaries.