• Photo of Abies concolor (Abies concolors)

Plant Profile: Abies concolor

Taxonomy: Abies concolor

Names

Abeto Del Colorado, Balsam Fir, Colorado Fir, Colorado White Fir, Concolor Fir, Pino Real Blanco, Rocky Mountain White Fir, White Balsam, White Fir

  • Photo of Abies concolor (Abies concolors)

Phonetic Spelling:AY-bees KON-kol-or

Genus:Abies

Species:concolor

Family:Pinaceae

The White Fir is a slender, pyramidal evergreen characterized by its horizontal branches and gracefully drooping lower limbs. Its natural habitat extends from the western United States down to northern Mexico, specifically from Baja California to northeastern Sonora and northern Chihuahua. This tree thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is highly valued for providing cover and nesting sites due to its dense branching. While it demonstrates greater resilience to heat and drought compared to many other fir species, it is important to protect it from winter salt spray. Additionally, it is a popular choice for Christmas trees, known for its excellent needle retention post-harvest.

In terms of pests and diseases, the White Fir tends to break bud early in the spring, making it vulnerable to frost damage.

Abies concolor Feature Summary

Abies concolor Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#heat tolerant
#drought tolerant
#wildlife plant
#needles
#cones
#large tree
#blue needles
#conifer
#fragrant leaves
#cover plant
#blue-green leaves
#pryamidal
#nesting sites
#bird friendly
#partial shade tolerant
#Christmas tree

Similar Plants

Abies concolor is often confused with:

Abies concolor Feature Summary

Attributes
Western North America
Birds find cover and nesting sites in the branches.
high flammability
Fruit
No fruits. 5 in. cylindrical cones that can be green and brown- or even have a purple bloom when young. If brown, the cones can look shiny/ glossy, and when they open, they have many papery layers of small openings.
Green
Brown/Copper
Purple/Lavender
Gold/Yellow
> 3 inches
Flowers
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Leaves
1/2"- 2" long blue-green when young dull green with age needles pointed or notched at tip. The needles have a strong citrus fragrance.
Green
Blue
Needles
1-3 inches
Prickly
Fragrant
Showy
Long-lasting
Bark
When the tree is younger, the bark can nearly look smooth (which is quite different to when it is older with many irregular plates). When young, the bark can look light gray to light brown with hints of orange underneath.
Light Gray
Light Brown
Orange
Smooth
Ridges
Furrowed
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Good Drainage
Moist
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Winter Garden
Shade Tree
Accent
Specimen
Drought
Heat
Pollution

Abies concolor Attributes

Abies concolor: Country Or Region Of Origin

Western North America

Abies concolor: Wildlife Value

Birds find cover and nesting sites in the branches.

Abies concolor: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Abies concolor: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Abies concolor: Fire Risk Rating

extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability

Abies concolor Fruit

Abies concolor: Fruit Description

No fruits. 5 in. cylindrical cones that can be green and brown- or even have a purple bloom when young. If brown, the cones can look shiny/ glossy, and when they open, they have many papery layers of small openings.

Abies concolor: Fruit Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Gold/Yellow
grass
Green
grass
Purple/Lavender

Abies concolor: Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Abies concolor Flowers

Abies concolor: Flower Description

No flowers

Abies concolor: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Abies concolor: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Abies concolor Leaves

Abies concolor: Leaf Description

1/2"- 2" long blue-green when young dull green with age needles pointed or notched at tip. The needles have a strong citrus fragrance.

Abies concolor: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Abies concolor: Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Abies concolor: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Abies concolor: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Abies concolor: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Abies concolor: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Abies concolor: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Abies concolor Bark

Abies concolor: Bark Description

When the tree is younger, the bark can nearly look smooth (which is quite different to when it is older with many irregular plates). When young, the bark can look light gray to light brown with hints of orange underneath.

Abies concolor: Bark Color

grass
Light Brown
grass
Light Gray
grass
Orange

Abies concolor: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Abies concolor: Bark Plate Shape

Diamond
Irregular
Oval
Rectangle
Round
Square

Abies concolor Whole Plant Traits

Abies concolor: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Abies concolor: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Abies concolor: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Abies concolor: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Abies concolor: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Abies concolor: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Abies concolor Cultural Conditions

Abies concolor: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Abies concolor: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Abies concolor: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Abies concolor: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b

Abies concolor: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Abies concolor Stem

Abies concolor: Stem Color

grass
Gray/Silver

Abies concolor: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Abies concolor: Stem Form

Straight
Zig Zags

Abies concolor Landscape

Abies concolor: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Abies concolor: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Abies concolor: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Abies concolor: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland