Lassen Volcanic National Park

A wide-ranging montane fir that occupies mid-elevation slopes and mixed conifer stands in Lassen, often below red fir, tolerating drier soils than its higher-elevation relatives. It contributes to mid-canopy structure and moderates snow melt on south-facing slopes.

Bluish to silvery-green needles typically arranged in flattened sprays; bark smooth to furrowed with resin blisters on young trees. Upright cones that disintegrate on the branch are diagnostic of true firs.

Common Confusions

• Red Fir Abies magnifica White fir has longer, more flattened needles with a bluish cast and smoother bark on younger trees; red fir needles are shorter and more crowded.
• Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir needles have a distinct petiole and cones with protruding bracts (mouse-tail bracts); white fir has upright cones and lacks those bracts.