Abies grandis

Abies grandis, widely known as grand fir or giant fir, is a large evergreen conifer in the family Pinaceae, order Pinales. Native to the Pacific Coast and interior regions of western North America, its range extends from British Columbia southward through Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and into California. It inhabits moist, low-elevation to mid-elevation forests, often in mixed coniferous stands alongside Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock. Among the tallest true firs, Abies grandis regularly reaches heights of 40 to 60 meters, with some individuals exceeding 75 meters. The trunk is straight and columnar, and the crown is narrowly conic in young trees, broadening and flattening in old age. Bark is smooth and gray-green in youth, becoming brown and furrowed in maturity. Needles are arranged in two distinct flat rows, giving branches a comb-like appearance. The upper surface is lustrous dark green; the underside displays two pale whitish stomatal bands. When crushed, the needles emit a pleasant citrus-orange fragrance, one of the species' most recognizable features. Seed cones are cylindrical, yellowish-green, and erect, typically 6 to 12 centimeters long, disintegrating while on the tree. Grand fir produces valuable timber used in construction, pulp, and paper. The species is also planted ornamentally and in reforestation programs. It provides important wildlife habitat, with dense foliage sheltering birds and mammals throughout the year.