Noble Fir: The needles are
roughly 4-sided (similar to spruce), over 1 inch long,
bluish-green but appearing silver because of 2 white rows of
stomata on the underside and 1-2 rows on the upper surface. The
needles are generally twisted upward so that the lower surface
of branches are exposed.
In the wild, the trees are tall, beautifully symmetrical and grow
to over 200 feet in height. Long considered an excellent
Christmas tree because of its beauty, stiff branches and
longevity, the species is growing in popularity (between 25% and
30% of the fresh tree market in the Pacific Northwest). It is
also widely used in the greenery business to make wreaths, door
swags, garland and other Christmas products.
Trivia: The R.A.F. Mosquito
planes of World War II were built with Noble Fir frames.
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