[True Firs: The Genus Abies in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir

Abies procera

Synonym: Abies nobilis

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

Noble fir as seen along the Cinnamon Trail several miles south of Mt. St. Helens. The photo was taken on a ridgetop that is at the southern boundary of the Mount. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument..........September 28, 2014.

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

The photo above shows the lower surface of the needles of a noble fir seen along forest road #2360 about 100 meters north of its intersection with road #041 near Eckhart Point to the southwest of Mt. Adams..........October 14, 2005. Both the lower and upper surface commonly bear a pair of rows of silvery-white stomatal bloom. The base of each spreading needle veers abruptly to parallel the stem, often characterized as appearing like a hockey stick. The needles are also 4-angled or diamond-shaped in cross-section.

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis) - Seeds of Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis) - Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

Cones and winged seeds of noble fir as seen along the Butte Camp Trail #238A, Mount Saint Helens National Monument............July 23, 2017.

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

A view of the trunk of an old growth noble fir observed along the Toutle Trail just northwest of Blue Lake, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.........August 20, 2017.

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

The photo above shows a grove of noble firs along forest road #2360 about 100 meters north of its intersection with road #041 near Eckhart Point to the southwest of Mt. Adams.........October 14, 2005. Noble fir needs a fair amount of sunlight, so older trees are often seen with their lowest branches no lower than the midpoint of the tree.

Cones of Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

Close-up of two noble fir cones as seen along the Craggy Peak Trail #3, Gifford Pinchot National Forest...........September 14, 2014.

Noble Fir, Red Fir, White Fir: Abies procera (Synonym: Abies nobilis)

Noble fir trying to grow on poor pumice soils along the Boundary Trail #1 just west of Harry's Ridge, Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument.........July 2, 2014. The noble firs here are more stunted and appear greener than at other locations, possibly due to lack of nutrients in the soil?
Paul Slichter