Subalpine Fir, Alpine Fir

Abies lasiocarpa

Physical Characteristics

Abies lasiocarpa is an evergreen Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 4 m (13ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Western N. America - Alaska to Arizona and New Mexico.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Inner bark Seed Seedpod Shoots Edible Uses: Gum Gum Tea The shoot tips are used as a tea substitute[177, 183]. The cones can be ground into a fine powder, then mixed with fat and used as a confection[257]. It is said to be a delicacy and an aid to the digestion[257]. The resin from the trunk is used as a chewing gum[257]. It is said to treat bad breath[257]. Inner bark[257]. No more information is given, but inner bark is often dried, ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread etc[K]. Seeds[257]. Seeds of this genus are generally oily with a resinous flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked[K]. Subalpine fir is very similar to white fir in its edible uses. The inner bark is the most important part, eaten fresh in strips or dried and ground into a coarse flour. Though chewy and mild in taste, it is best combined with other flours for easier digestion. The sap (also called balsam) can be collected from blisters on younger trees. It was more often used as medicine, but in small amounts, it can be chewed or eaten in hardened form as a survival food [2-3]. The young needles are not eaten directly but make a pleasant and healthful tea when brewed lightly. This tea has a citrus-evergreen flavor and was traditionally used to relieve chest congestion [2-3]. The shoots are resinous and unpalatable, and the cones are rarely considered food. However, young seed cones of subalpine fir have been recorded as edible before they become woody, though the effort required to harvest them from high branches usually outweighs their value [2-3]. The seeds are extremely small and resin-coated, making them impractical as food for humans, though they are valuable to birds and small mammals[2-3]. Overall, subalpine fir offers similar food potential to white fir, with bark and tea as the main useful options, and cones or sap considered only in survival contexts[2-3].

Medicinal Uses

Antihalitosis Antiseptic Deodorant Emetic Foot care Laxative Miscellany Poultice TB Tonic Antiseptic[46, 61]. The gummy exudate that appears on the bark was soaked in water until soft and then applied to wounds[213]. An infusion of the resin has been used as an emetic to cleanse the insides[257]. The resin has also been chewed to treat bad breath[257]. A decoction of the bark is used as a tonic and in the treatment of colds and flu[257]. A poultice of the leaves has been used to treat chest colds and fevers[257]. An infusion has been taken to treat the coughing up of blood, which can be the first sign of TB, and as a laxative[257].

Known Hazards

None known