Fraser fir
Abies fraseri
Fraser fir is the only fir endemic to the southern Appalachian mountains. It is primarily known for its use as a fragrant and shapely Christmas tree. Fraser fir is very similar to its northern counterpart, balsam fir.
Fraser fir is used for Christmas trees and wreaths.
Red squirrels, a.k.a. moutain boomers, eat seeds and terminal buds of fraser firs.
Because Fraser fir is shade tolerant, shelterwood and group selection methods work best. Some christmas tree growers harvest Fraser firs and leave one whorl of growth below the cut. This method is said to be sufficient for a normally growing, upright tree to reform.
balsam woolly adelgid
Fun facts
Growing Fraser fir for Christmas trees and wreaths is a multi-million dollar business in the southern Appalachians.Abies
ancient name - rising or tall tree, name for the European fir.
fraseri
after John Fraser.
2004 Virginia
Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming
by: Dr. Jeff Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen,
Guy Phillips, or Andrew
S. Meeks.
questions, comments, and criticisms: email John.Peterson@vt.edu