Pacific silver fir is a needled evergreen tree native from Alaska down to northern California in the Pinaceae (pine) family. It can grow up to 260 feet tall in its native habitat. It requires cool, humid summers to thrive and so has a limited area for use. The species name " amabilis " is Latin for "lovely." Pacific silver does well in full sun but is also more shade tolerant than other firs. The needles have two longitudinal bands or stripes underneath. The needles grow to the sides and top of the shoot but not the underneath, and they all lean forward towards the tip of the branch. This tree is sometimes used as a Christmas tree or for Christmas decorations. It is sometimes used as an ornamental in large parks within its growing range. The wood is weak and is mainly used for paper production. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Annosus root disease can be a problem especially for older trees. Weakened trees are then susceptible to fir-engraver beetle ( Scolylus ventralis ), silver fir beetle ( Pseudohylesinus sericeus ), or fir root bark beetle ( Pseudohylesinus granulalus ). VIDEO created by Ryan Contreras for “Landscape Plant Materials I: Deciduous Hardwoods and Conifers or Landscape Plant Materials II: Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet; 24-60 feet
Mature size
Height: 98 ft. 0 in. - 260 ft. 0 in. | Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Conical; Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Needles are flat, 0.8 to 1.8 inches long, dark green on top with two white/silver longitudinal stripes on the underside and notched at the tip. The needles densely packed, are twisted at the base so that they lie flat to the sides and on top of the shoot but not on the bottom. They all are brushed forward on the shoot
Flower detail
No flowers
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver; Purple/Lavender
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
Oval seed cones are resinous, purple-gray aging to brown. They grow upright on the tree. They disintegrate with age to release winged seeds. They are 3.5 to 6.5 inches long.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Gray; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Bark light grey and smooth but for resin blisters on young trees. As the tree ages the bark becomes reddish-grey with scales and furrows mostly at the base
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Twigs mostly opposite, darker brown abaxially, light brown adaxially with tan to reddish hairs. Branches are gray or yellowish-brown in color when young.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Western coast of North America
Distribution
AL, CA, OR, WA and parts of Canada
Wildlife value
Firs are useful to many animals for cover and nesting sites. Grouse eat the needles. Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter. Birds, chipmunks, and squirrels eat the seeds.
Attracts
Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Cover/Habitat; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Uses (ethnobotany)
The pitch was chewed as gum by native peoples, the boughs were preferred for bedding or floor coverings, and the soft, brittle wood was chiefly used as firewood. The wood today is mostly used for making paper or cheap construction as crates.