42 



Native Trees of Canada 



feet. It occurs in patches at or near the timberUne and in inaccessible places. It 

 associates with Douglas fir, lodgepole, limber, and white-barked pine. 



The alpine fir, when well developed, averages 1 to 2 ft. in diameter and 60 to 

 70 ft. in height. It is a slow-growing tree. The crown is extremely narrow and 

 spire-like. The branches are stubby and form a dense growth. Dead lower 

 branches are frequently found hanging down along the trunk. The roots are 

 shallow. 



The bark is smooth and marked with resin blisters. The smooth part is light 

 grey in colour. The base of the tree is frequently roughened by narrow cracks. 



ALPINE 

 FIR 



A . hsiocorpo 



The twigs are downy, and, when the leaves have dropped, marked with small 

 circular scars. The buds are blunt and covered with resin. 



The leaves are \Y^ to 2J^ in. long, stalkless, and flat. They are whitish when 

 young and deep blue when older. The tips of the leaves are notched except on 

 some of the top branches. They are characteristically curved and twisted toward 

 the upper side of the branch. 



