Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

The Red Fir or Silvertip fir (Abies magnifica) is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a large evergreen tree typically up to 40-60 meter tall and 2 meter trunk diameter, rarely to 76 meter tall and 3 meter diameter, with a narrow conic crown. The bark on young trees is smooth, grey, and with resin blisters, becoming orange-red, rough and fissured on old trees. The leaves are needle-like, 2-3.5 centimeter long, waxy pale blue-green above and below with strong bands, and an acute tip. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but twisted slightly s-shaped to be upcurved above the shoot. The cones are erect, 9-21 centimeter long, yellow-green (occasionally purple), ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged seeds in fall.

Plant type

Tree

Size

35 - 220 ft Tall

Form

Upright, Pyramidal

Growth rate

Slow

Dormancy

Evergreen

Flowering season

Spring

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Moderate

Ease of care

Moderate

Soil drainage

Medium

Soil description

Grows best on the deeper soils associated with glacial deposits and good surface mulch.
Soil PH: -

Propagation

For propagating by seed: 1-2 mos. stratification. Abies seed storage life is less than one year unless kept refrigerated.

Plant communities

Red Fir Forest

Bats
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

3 confirmed and 56 likely

Confirmed Likely

Argyrotaenia provana

Modoc Budworm

Choristoneura retiniana

Cottonwood Dagger Moth

Acronicta lepusculina