AMABILIS FIR
Abies amabilis

• also known as Lovely Fir, Cascades Fir, Red Fir, White Fir and Pacific Silver Fir because the underside of the needles is silvery
• amabilis means "lovely"

UNIQUE FEATURES:

• tall, straight tree
• dense, cone shaped crown

LOCATION:

• coastal forests
• above 300 metres in elevation in the south, in the north may grow at sea level
• likes a moist area with deep, well-drained soil
• can grow in shady areas

SIZE:

• can reach up to 50 metres in height

CONES:

• largest and heaviest of native firs
• barrel shaped, sit upright on the branches
• deep purple
• fall apart in the autumn while still on the tree
• pollen cones are reddish

NEEDLES:

• blunt and notched at the end
• dark green with two white/silvery bands on the lower surface
• are arrange so they completely cover the twigs
• when dried smell of strawberry

BARK:

• pale grey, smooth and blistered becoming scaly as the tree matures
• often covered with areas of white lichen

WOOD CHARACTERISTICS:

• light weight, clean appearance, lack of unpleasant odor

USES:

• modern - doors, windows, furniture parts, mouldings, food containers
• traditional - boughs: floor coverings, bedding; bark: boiled for a tonic and for bathing; needles: boiled for a tea to treat colds; wood: house planks, firewood