Noble Fir

(Abies procera)

Oregon’s most popular 
Known for its beauty and scent, noble fir is the most popular Christmas tree grown in Oregon. It is also used for paper and is a fine timber species as it is quite strong for its weight. Those not grown for use at Christmas can grow to well over 200 feet tall and up to 6 feet in diameter.

Range
Noble fir is common in middle to upper elevations for the entire length of the Cascades and at higher elevations in the Siskiyous and Coast Range.

Character
The noble fir has unique cones, making it easy to identify. Like all true firs, cones sit on top of branches rather than hang down. They’re four to six inches long, barrel-shaped and have little “flips” or “whiskers.” Needles run parallel with the twig for 1/8 inch and then curve away, shaped like a hockey stick. The bark appears blistered on young trees and purplish-gray to reddish-brown on mature trees with flattened ridges.

Understory
Herbaceous plants, huckleberry, currants, rhododendrons and grasses are dominant in the understory of noble firs.

Climate
The noble fir is a tree that loves altitude. It typically is found between 1,000 and 5,000 feet, only rarely reaching the tree line.

Management
If left to grow for timber, noble fir only becomes timber-sized on moist, well-drained sites above about 1,000 feet in elevation. At lower elevations, it tends to suffer from root rot and other ailments, which shorten its life and deform it.

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9755 SW Barnes Rd., Suite 210        
Portland, OR 97225        
Phone: 971-673-2944        
Fax: 971-673-2946

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