Abies lasiocarpa
Rocky Mountain Fir; Apline Fir; Subalpine Fir
Mature Size, Growth, Longevity
Grows to 100-160' tall. National champion is 130' by 26' in Olympic National Park, Washington. Slow growth rate. Long lived.
Native Range
Native from Alaska to Oregon and Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Introduced 1863.
Flower and Fruit Details
Monoecious flowers, male cones bluish and borne beneath the leaves, female cones purple and borne upright near the top of the crown. Fruits in oblong cylindric cones, 2-4" long, dark purple.
Leaf and Bark Features
Evergreen: Needles are crowded, and directed forward and upward with an acute or rounded apex. They are pale bluish-green, 1-1.5" long, rarely emarginate, stomatiferous above with silvery-gray stomatal bands below. Grayish or chalk-white bark.
Culture and Care
Generally not well suited for growing in the East and Midwest U.S. Zones 5-6(7). No serious diseases in landscape, most problems are from mismatched soil or climate conditions.
Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA
The following taxa are (or were) represented in the collections at Boone County Arboretum. Additional taxa may be available in the trade that are not included here.
Abies lasiocarpa subsp. arizonica // Blue Cork Bark Fir, Cork Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain Fir
Tree. Arizonica is a smaller subspecies of Rocky Mountain Fir, slowly growing to 20-40' tall and 15-25' wide, forming a rich blue-green, narrow pyramid. Rich blue-green needles are 1-1.5" long, distinctly emarginated, pectinate, and whiter beneath. Thick corky creamy white bark. Found in the higher altitudes of N. Arizona and N. New Mexico, and somewhat better suited for growing in the East and Midwest U.S. Introduced 1901.
-- not currently in our collection --Abies lasiocarpa subsp. arizonica 'Arizonica Glauca' // Blue Cork Bark Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain Fir
Tree. Cultivar 'Arizonica Glauca' has the characteristics of the subspecies, but with a more silvery needle, similar to 'Argentea'.
-- not currently in our collection --