Identify Fir Trees
Firs(Abies)are members of the Pinaceae or pine family and form a genus of 40 to 50 species of conifers. Firs, pines, and spruces are often confused. Spruce trees and fir trees are the most similar. All three are evergreen conifers, have needles and produce cones, but each has its distinctive characteristics. Whether you want to incorporate a fir tree into your landscaping or choose a Christmas tree for the holidays, knowing how to identify fir trees will ensure you find the tree to meet your needs.
Steps
- Look for flat, soft needles arranged in a spiral arrangement. The needles should be attached individually. By contrast, spruce needles are sharp and pointed and can be rolled between your fingers. While pine needles are attached to branches in clusters, the needles of the fir are attached individually.
- Look for cones that grow upright. Spruce trees have cones that hang.
- Look for a small stem attached to the branch in the autumn, or cones that are missing scales while attached to the branch. The scales on ripe fir cones may fall off in the autumn and leave a center stem still attached to the branch. Fir cones do not fall off the tree in one piece the way that pine cones do. Instead the scales fall in pieces.
- Smell the tree, especially new stems. New stems have resin blisters which give off the distinctive balsam smell that many people associate with Christmas.
- Look for resin covered buds on the stems growing in clusters of 3 or more.
Tips
- Recognize the difference between the true balsam firs and trees like the Douglas fir which isn't a true fir. True firs are native to cold climates and do well in areas where there is a lot of snow because their pointed tops and short stiff branches shed snow easily.
- Pockets of resin are contained in the bark and sometimes the resin covers the cones making them sticky and fragrant.
- The color and length of the needles is not a reliable method to use to identify fir trees. These can vary widely depending upon the tree's environment and condition.
