7 Fascinating Fir Tree Facts You Should Know

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Fir Tree Needles Are Softer

Cardinal In Fraser Fir — Male northern cardinal

Fir and spruce needles are attached to twigs one by one, while pines grow needles in bunches. Fir tree needles are soft and flat, while spruce needles are stiff and angular.

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Fraser Firs Are Long Lasting

Christmas Tree Fraser Fir Isolated On White — Fraser fir

Lasting seven weeks or more, Fraser firs typically retain their needles longest after being cut.

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Balsam Firs Have a Slow Growth Rate

Balsam firs grow about 12 inches a year, taking nine to 10 years to get to the ideal Christmas tree height. So be patient!

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Douglas Firs Tower Over Other Trees

Douglas firs reach a height of 300 feet or more in the wild. Despite the name, this tree is not a true fir, pine or spruce.

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Look to the Cones for a Tree Clue

Spruce Branch And Cone. Fir Christmas Tree. Green Pine, Spruce Branch With Needles. Isolated On White Background. Close Up Top View, High Resolution. Andrei Vasilev/Getty Images

Fir tree cones stand upright from branches rather than hanging down. They vary in size from 1 1/2 to 10 inches.

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Fir Trees Have a Centuries-Long Lifespan

Firs are generally long-lived, with the Pacific silver fir sometimes surviving 800 years.

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Fir Trees Prefer High Elevation

Bnbbyc17 Mary Lou Jubin 2, fir tree facts — Eastern bluebird in Fraser fir

Fraser firs are mountain trees. They grow wild only in the Appalachians at altitudes of 4,500 feet or higher.

Next, discover 8 types of Christmas trees you can grow.

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Author

Jill Staake

During the 14 years she's written for Birds & Blooms, Jill Staake has relied on the expertise gained during her time as Assistant Curator of outdoor exhibits at the Museum of Science & Industry, Tampa. There, she helped grow gardens full of host and nectar plants for more than 20 species of native butterflies, raised from caterpillars to sh...