Douglas firs and balsam firs are both popular and important evergreen trees. Form. Here, we shall attempt to clarify any doubts you may have between redwood and Douglas fir. Woodworkers prefer knotty pine for making tables, chests or any other project because pine has the beauty that fir lacks. : BA. Do some research and make sure this tree is right for you. Allocation of biomass and nutrients to shoots and roots was followed for three years in fast and slow growing populations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga Amabilis fir Abies amabilis. For this reason the name is often written as Douglas-fir (a name also used for the genus Pseudotsuga as a whole). Both Redwood lumber and Douglas fir lumber are straight grained and, therefore, very sturdy. Medium boring quality with brad point bits and poor quality with single twist bits. Amabilis fir is very productive on a wide range of sites as long as it is not too warm and there is enough water. Common Name: Red Fir,Pacific silver fir: Family: Pinaceae: USDA hardiness: 4-8: Known Hazards: None known: Habitats: High mountain slopes and benches, going down to sea-level in the north of its range[82]. Several are grown as ornamentals and are common Christmas trees in North America. Germination occurs best at 30C Day/20C Night, alternating temperature cycle. PL = Lodgepole Pine. Abies amabilis (Douglas ex Louden) Douglas ex Forbes. (It can only be petted one way!. They are dark green with a groove on the upper surface and two silvery bands on the lower surface. Abies amabilis (Douglas ex Louden) Douglas ex Forbes (AY-beez uh-MAA-bill-is) Names : Pacific Silver Fir is also called Lovely Fir. In fact, the name amabilis means pretty or beautiful. It is commonly sold and shipped with amabilis fir under the name Hem-Fir, which has an extremely wide range of uses because it offers good strength, appearance and working qualities. There are various types of lumber that are currently used for fencing, furniture, woodwork, decking, garden box, etc. In southwestern Oregon and northwestern California, grand fir is common in mixed evergreen and conifer forests , where it is associated with Shasta red fir (Abies magnifica var. In 2016, the White House chose a Douglas fir to festoon the Obamas' final Christmas in the Executive Mansion, and for good reason: Douglas It is not suitable to all growing environments. Abies amabilis / Pacific silver fir Abies amabilis, as described in 1839 by David Douglas (17981834) ex John Forbes (17991823), in Pinetum Woburnense, 125th edition, is commonly known as Pacific Silver fir, white fir, red fir, lovely fir, amabilis fir, Cascades fir; as well as sapin gracieux in Potter Mountaintop Home A combination of Douglas Fir/Larch and Western red cedar give this home a timeless western charm. Douglas-fir is a large tree, reaching 85 metres on the West Coast and 42 metres in the Interior. Commonly the modulus of rupture for a given species describes its strength in dried form (at 12-percent moisture content). Not appropriate for prolonged outdoor exposure. However, after the logs are processed into timber, there can be some confusion between the two types of wood. Pacific Silver Fir The Pine FamilyPinaceae. Amabilis fir. noble fir. (Abies amabilis) Species code Abbreviation for each seedling species. Douglas Fir trees have a lifespan of 500-1000 years and are one of the tallest species of tree in the world. Pacific Silver Fir lives about 400 years. Amabilis fir is commonly sold and shipped together with western hemlock under the name hem-fir (or hem-bal). Tension stress, specific gravity, and modulus of elasticity in flatwise bending decreased as width of lumber increased. Amabilis fir is produced primarily as structurallumberfor North America and Japan. Amabilis fir is also called Pacific silver fir because of the silvery underside of the needles. Our recommended stock sizes are listed below, with product Products are defined by the combination of Species, Type, Size, Age, and SoP. Balsam fir trees often grow more shallow roots than Douglas firs, making them more likely to fall over in strong winds. Balsam firs can live for up to 200 years, while Douglas firs can continue to increase in height for more than 200 years. Contains small, sound black knots that are usually tight and dimensionally stable. It planes and shapes well and can be sanded to a smooth finish. codes, average height and root-collar diameter. Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii. Relative hardness table of domestic and exotic woods. Names : Pacific Silver Fir isalso called Lovely Fir. In fact, the name amabilis means pretty or beautiful. Germination isgreater in dark than in light. Douglas Firs make exceptional Christmas trees. Deer and elk eat the foliage and twigs in the winter. Five hundred ninety-three pieces of hem-fir and 563 of Douglas-fir were included in various categories of none, single small and large center and edge knots, and multiple knots. The study area is Potter commissioned the recycled beams from an old barn in Eastern WA. Noun 1. amabilis fir - medium to tall fir of western North America having a conic crown and branches in tiers; leaves smell of orange when crushed Abies Amabilis fir - definition of amabilis fir by The Free Dictionary. Gradual transition, though distinct growth rings with fairly prominent brown latewood bands. It is also sometimes called Cascade or Red Fir. (Ed.). california red fir. Amabilis fir is shade tolerant, so it grows well in mixed-species stands, mainly with western hemlock, mountain hemlock, yellow cedar and western red cedar. Older trees have a long, branch-free trunk and a short cylindrical crown with a flattened top. The needle arrangement is similar to the fur on a dogs tail. It is a valuable timber species that is marketed with western hemlock. Nitrogen retranslocation was greatest in amabilis fir seedlings in treatments with a low N:P ratio, and greatest in Douglas-fir seedlings in the 250:20 and 100:60 treatments. Biomass and nutrient allocation in Douglas-fir and amabilis fir seedlings: influence of growth rate and temperature. Understanding Douglas Fir's Strengths & Weaknesses. Specialty inhouse grades,lamstock, and export grades such as E-120 in Japan are also marketed. The Spruce-Pine-Fir (S-P-F) species group grows abundantly throughout Canada and makes up by far the largest proportion of dimension lumber production. Best results are obtained when using light- to mid-coloured waxes (e.g. Abies amabilis (Douglas ex Louden) Douglas ex Forbes. *All photographs on this site were taken by Dana, Edmund or Sky Bressette unless otherwise noted. At maturity, it has a low-taper stem and narrow symmetrical crown with lateral branches perpendicular to the stem. Growth: The tallest are just over 200 feet (60m), but most only grow to about 150 (45m). The largest are mostly found in Olympic National Park and Vancouver Island. Seeds each contain a single wing but often fall from the upright cone axis by pairs on ovuliferous scales, as the bracts contort and tear themselves from the cone-a process that does not require wind. amabilis fir: The seeds are heavier than seeds of most Pacific Northwest conifers except noble fir. These large evergreens are also widely used for rough timber or paper pulp. Amabilis fir is commonly sold and shipped together with western hemlock under the name hem-fir (or hem-bal). Click to see full answer Douglas-fir is also valued for its dimensional stability and its high specific gravity which provides excellent nail-holding capability. Young Douglas-fir bark is smooth and grey-brown with gummy resin-filled blisters. The Subalpine fir tree is the most widely distributed fir species in North America after the balsam fir. mellow pine, chestnut). (Note: He is talking about the true firs and not Douglas-fir.) Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.