Abies grandis, Grand Fir (Lowland White Fir) (15)

Grand Firs are tall, erect, single stemmed evergreen conifers. They range from 140 feet to 160 feet in height and 2 feet to 4 feet in diameter when mature. As young trees, their bark is light gray and blistered, like the White Firs. Adult trees have thick, furrowed, gray bark. The best way to distinguish between a young White Fir and a young Grand Fir is by range (Stuart and Sawyer, 2001).

The White Fir is found at higher elevations and is usually an inland species. The Grand Fir (also called the Lowland White Fir) is found, as is suggested in the second common name, at lower elevation. In California, it is usually found from sea level to 2300 feet. However, in the Pacific Northwest it is also found at mid elevations on interior mountain ranges (Cockrell, 1976).

Yet another complication of identifying Abies grandis is its tendency to hybridize with other fir species. In areas where the ranges of two different fir species overlap, hybridization presents a real problem for those attempting to identify the tree. In California, however, the range of the Grand Fir does not overlap with any other species that it tends to hybridize with (Cockrell, 1976).