80 MISC. PUBLICATION 9 0, IT. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



BLUE SPRUCE 



The beautiful blue spruce (Picea Pan gens) is very similar to the 

 more abundant Engelmann spruce. It is most readily distin- 

 guished from Engelmann spruce by the decidedly bluish color of 

 the newer foliage and by the short, stiff, sharp-pointed leaves. In 

 Utah blue spruce occurs individually or in small groups along 

 streams at elevations of from 6,500 to 10,000 feet. 



The wood of blue spruce is light, soft, close grained, weak, and 

 pale brown or nearly white. It is used to a small extent locally, 

 along with Engelmann spruce, but it is best known as a cultivated 

 tree for decorative planting. 



WHITE FIR 



White fir (Abies concolor) is another characteristic tree in the 

 Great Basin region, though of minor commercial importance. Its 

 range extends from Colorado westward to the mountains of Cali- 

 fornia, north into Oregon, and south into Mexico. It is the only 

 fir found at lower elevations in the Great Basin. 



The wood is pale brown to white, very light, soft, cross-grained, 

 and not strong or durable. It has been cut considerably for local 

 use because it is more accessible than most timber. 



ALPINE FIR 



Though of secondary importance commercially, Alpine fir (Abies 

 lasiocarpa) with an estimated stand of 245,727,000 board feet is very 

 generally distributed over the higher mountains. 



The most distinctive characteristics of Alpine fir, or white balsam, 

 are the long narrowly conical crown terminating in a conspicuous 

 spearlike point and the clusters of upright purple cones. The foli- 

 age is deep blue green, that of the season's growth having a silvery 

 tinge. 



Occurrence. — This is distinctly an alpine tree. In Utah it is 

 found in all the national forests, appearing in mixture with Engel- 

 mann spruce or Douglas fir at elevations from 7,000 feet up to the 

 timber line. 



Requirements. — Alpine fir always grows in cool, moist or subalpine 

 situations. It is found on all slopes at timber line and on north 

 slopes or along streams at lower elevations. 



Reproduction. — Some seed is produced every year, especially 

 heavy production coining at about 3-year intervals. Seedlings spring 

 up abundantly on exposed mineral soil in the open and also on moist 

 duff under light or heavy shade. Alpine fir can endure more shade 

 than any of its associates except Engelmann spruce, and wherever 

 it occurs, there is usually a dense understory of seedlings and 

 saplings. 



Grotcth and yield. — Alpine fir varies widely in size with its loca- 

 tion. It rarely attains a diameter of more than 2 feet, or exceeds 

 80 feet in height. 



Fire resistance. — Because of its thin bark, shallow root habit, and 

 extremely inflammable bark and foliage, alpine fir is more susceptible 

 to fire damage than any of its associates. 



Characteristics of the wood and commercial importance. — The 

 wood of alpine fir is soft, brittle, not durable when exposed to the 



