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Abies grandis

Grand Fir

At a Glance: Abies grandis is a tall, straight tree with short, dense branches.

Height: 130-260 feet (40-80 meters).
Growth Form: Tree.
Stems: Bark is greyish - brown in color. The bark of Abies Grandis is initially smooth with resin blisters but becomes rough and scaly with age. The trunk is 0.5-1 meter (20-40 inches) wide.
Leaves: Needles smell similar to tangerines and are spread apart horizontally so that both the upper and lower sides of the branch are clearly visible. Needles lie perfectly flat on twigs, like teeth on a comb. (AJ); needles are 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) long with a blunt tip; color is dark green with two white stripes on the underside.
Flowering Period: none.
Fruits: Cones are positioned high in the crown of the tree and disintegrate before falling to the ground. Cones are cylindrically shaped, 5-10 cm (2-4 in) long by 4 cm (1.5 in) in diameter, yellow in color when mature and greenish when unripe. (AJ).


Photo © 2004, Starflower Foundation

Sun/Shade Tolerance	Hydrology	Elevation Range
full sun > 80% mostly sunny 60%-80% partial sun and shade 40%- 60% mostly shady 60%-80% full shade > 80%	wet moist dry Wetland Indicator Status: FACU (facultative upland)	low elevation mid elevation sub-alpine high elevation

Soil Preferences
Abies grandis is susceptible to rot and therefore is typically found in drier soils.
sandy soils gravelly soils clay soils muddy soils peaty soils	well drained soils shallow soils deep soils acidic soils basic soils	humic soils nutrient rich soils nutrient poor soils mineral soils organic soils

Habitat Preferences
Aquatic and Wetland: Ponds or lakes Shallow pools Sloughs Swales or wet ditches Seasonally inundated areas Marshes or swamps Aquatic bed wetlands Emergent wetlands Scrub-shrub wetlands Forested wetlands Bogs, fens Seeps, springs Shorelines and Riparian: Lake shores Bog margins Streams or rivers Stream or river banks Riparian corridors River bars Floodplains Bottomlands Alluvial areas	Saltwater Areas: In or near saltwater Mud flats Tidal areas Estuaries Saltmarshes Brackish water Seashores Coastal dunes or beaches Rocky or Gravelly Areas: Coastal bluffs Cliffs Rocky slopes Outcrops Crevices Glacial outwash Gullies Slide areas Sub-alpine and Alpine: Heaths Snow beds Tundra Avalanche tracks	Forests and Thickets: Forests and woods Open forests Coniferous forests Old growth forests Deciduous forests Mixed forests Nurse logs Forest edges, openings, or clearings Thickets Meadows and Fields: Pastures or fields Meadows or grassy areas Mossy areas Disturbed Areas: Roadsides Trailsides Logged sites Burned areas Disturbed sites

Wildlife Value
Berries Seeds Nectar for hummingbirds Nectar for butterflies Host for insect larvae Thickets and shelter Thorny or protective cover	Birds: Grouse, nuthatches, chickadees, grosbeaks, finches, crossbills feed on the fir seeds. Sapsuckers and woodpeckers feed on the foliage. Provides shelter for birds. Insects: Pine white butterfly larvae eat the leaves. Mammals: Provides shelter for many mammals such as squirrels, porcupines, and deer.

Ethnobotanical Uses and Other Facts

Material Uses: The Kwakwakawaku shamans wove grand fir branches into head-dresses and costumes. The Hesquiat used the branches for incense and decorative clothing for wolf dancers. The Okanagan used the wood and bark to build canoes. The pitch was applied to bows and paddles to secure grip. The Salish used the bark to make a brown dye to apply to baskets. The knots in the wood were shaped, steamed, and carved into fish hooks by the Ditidaht, Salish, and other coastal groups.
Medicinal Uses: The bark was mixed with nettles to create a tonic and decoration for bathing. The Lushootseed boiled its needles to make medicinal tea for colds. Grand fir bark was crushed and mixed with tree bark to make an infusion that was drank to cure internal injuries. The Hesquiat mixed the pitch of young grand fir trees with oil and rubbed it on the scalp as a deodorant and to prevent balding.
Name Info: The name grand refers to the large, robust cones.

Suggested References

Brockman, F.C. 1968. A Guide to Field Identification: Trees of North America. Western Publishing Company. Page .
Gunther, E. 1973. 2nd ed. Ethnobotany of Western Washington. University of Washington Press. Page 19.
Jacobson A.L. 2001. Wild Plants of Greater Seattle. Published by author. Page 60.
Kruckeberg, A.R. 1996. 2nd ed. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 28.
Link, R. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press. Page 240.
Lyons, C., W. Merilees. Trees and Shrubs to Know in Washington and British Columbia. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 73.
Pojar, J., A. Mackinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Publishing. Page 34.
Turner, N.AJ. 1975. Food Plants of British Columbia Indians: part 1, Coastal Peoples. British Columbia Provincial Museum. Page 79.

The landscaping and restoration information provided on this page is taken from Starflower Foundation Image Herbarium. All photographs © Starflower Foundation unless otherwise noted.