Douglas Fir vs Pacific Silver Fir - TreeTime.ca

Douglas Fir vs Pacific Silver Fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca

Abies amabilis

CUSTOM GROW

Douglas Fir
Pacific Silver Fir

Douglas Fir is a large coniferous tree with a pyramidal shaped crown.

This attractive feature tree, with its distinctive drooping cones, is perfect for any grower who has lots of space and lives in a warm enough region. Douglas Firs make exceptional Christmas trees.

It is not suitable to all growing environments. Do some research and make sure this tree is right for you.

Our seed source is typically from the interior of BC and rocky mountain areas. We do not produce coastal seed source Douglas Fir as it is better suited to its native range and some taxonomists believe the two seed sources might be distinct.

Pacific Silver Fir is a tall evergreen tree native to the Pacific Northwest. It has two-toned needles, dark green on top with silvery undersides, giving the tree a distinctive appearance. The straight trunk and dense, symmetrical crown make it a striking forest species.

Pacific Silver Fir thrives in cool, moist, high-elevation forests. It is the most shade-tolerant of the true firs and among the most shade-tolerant of all native conifers, allowing it to grow beneath the canopy of older trees. It provides cover for wildlife and food from its seeds, while also contributing to the structure and stability of mountain forest ecosystems.

The species is harvested for timber and pulp and has been used ornamentally in some plantings. Well-suited for ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat projects where native conifers are needed. Pacific Silver Fir lives up to its Latin name, amabilis, meaning “lovely,” in recognition of its striking appearance.

Douglas Fir Quick Facts

Pacific Silver Fir Quick Facts

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Zone: 4a
Zone: 5a
Height: 61 m (200 ft)
Height: 45 m (150 ft)
Spread: 8 m (26 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, conical
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Fall colour: green
Bark: thin, smooth, gray on young trees. Thick and corky on older trees
Bark: smooth, grey
Cones: orange-brown cones with seed wing visible sticking out of the bracts
Cones: purplish, disintegrate as they mature
Seeds: winged seed within cones
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: BC
Other Names: oregon pine
Other Names: amabilis fir, silver fir