Silver fir Abies alba

Features

Abies alba, the European silver fir or silver fir is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 60 m tall and with a trunk diameter up to 2 m. It is sensitive to low winter temperatures and late spring cold, but requires a lot of humidity and heat, which is why it grows in Central and Southern Europe.

Species	Trees (Macrofanerophytes)
Living space	Clean or mixed forest, Conifer forest
Size	up to 60 m

Specialty habitat

Description

The leaves are needle-like, flattened, 1.8–3.0 cm long and 2.0 mm wide by 0.5 mm thick, glossy dark green above, and with two greenish-white bands of stomata below. The tip of the leaf is usually slightly notched at the tip. The cones are 9–17 cm long and 3–4 cm broad, with about 150-200 scales, each scale with an exserted bract and two winged seeds; they disintegrate when mature to release the seeds. The wood is white, leading to the species name alba. A resinous essential oil can be extracted. This pine-scented oil is used in perfumes, bath products, and aerosol inhalants. Its branches (including the leaves, bark and wood) were used for production of spruce beer. Oil encourages blood flow, bronchial secretion and coughing. It is also used for fever and muscle pain.