| DESCRIPTION: It is a needle leaf evergreen tree reaching 30-70 m in height and diameters of 90-110 cm. The average maximum age for the tree is 400 to 500 years on goodsites, and 250 to 350 years on more adverse sites. Young trees have resin-filled blisters protruding from the smooth, thin bark. The bark of older trees is rough textured and flaky. The needles grow from opposite sides of the branch, spreading horizontally or brushed forward. The top is flat, grooved, and "lustrous green", and the underside is stomatiferous and silvery white. The cones are stiffly erect, barrel shaped, and 9-15 cm long. USE: The wood is soft, light in weight and colour, and has little odour or resin, it is weak and has low durability. The most common uses are light construction frames, sub-floor, construction plywood, sheaths, container veneer, and pulpwood. The tree is planted for erosion control, shelter and as an ornamental. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Pacific silver fir. FURTHER INF: It occurs from extreme south-eastern Alaska south through western British Columbia, the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon, to north-western California. Average annual precipitation, within its range, is 1000-6650 mm, mostly in the form of snow, it is absent in coastal areas with dry summers. It has a mild frost tolerance and poor frozen soil tolerance because of its need for water during the winter. It can survive in the shade and emerge in stands that are uneven-aged. |
