Abies lasiocarpa - Subalpine Firs

Abies lasiocarpa is a fir native to northwest North America from Alaska down to southern New Mexico. It is a narrowly pyramidal tree with a pointed crown that stands out as a sharp spire in the landscape. Its 0.5”-1.5” gray-green needles grow in a spiral around the stem, and dark purplish-black, 2.4”-4.5” long seed cones sit upright on the branches and disintegrate at seed dispersal. The Subalpine Fir grows at a rate of 6”-12” a year, and becomes 5’-10’ high in 10 years, and 60’-70’ at maturity. The size of cultivars may vary, however. It grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8 in sun to partial shade and in thin, loamy or rocky, well-draining soil.