Fir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Abies - firs |
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| Korean Fir (Abies koreana) cone and foliage | |
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Abies
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Firs (Abies) are a type of evergreen tree, meaning they keep their needles all year round! There are about 45 to 55 different kinds, or "species," of fir trees. They belong to the pine family, called Pinaceae.
These tall trees can grow from 10 to 80 meters high, which is like a 3 to 26-story building! Their trunks can be as wide as 0.5 to 4 meters when they are fully grown.
What makes firs special? Their needle-like leaves are attached to the twig by a base that looks like a tiny suction cup. Also, their female cones stand upright like candles on the branches. These cones are 5 to 25 centimeters long and release winged seeds when they are ready.
The male cones are much smaller. They are spread throughout the tree. This helps the wind carry their pollen to the female cones, which is how pollination happens.
Like all trees in the pine family, firs have a sticky liquid called resin. This resin helps protect the tree from insects and diseases.
Fir wood is not usually used for building houses because it's not very strong against insects or rot. Instead, it's often made into plywood or chipboard for things like indoor furniture or temporary outdoor uses. However, fir trees are very popular in gardening. They can be planted to protect other plants from wind or grown alone as beautiful decorative trees in parks and yards.
Fir Leaves: What Makes Them Unique?
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A. grandis foliage – upper side of the leaves
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Atypical A. alba foliage from Dinaric calcareous fir forests on Mt. Orjen
You can tell firs apart from other trees in the pine family by how their needle-like leaves attach to the twig. Each leaf has a special base that looks like a small suction cup.
Fir leaves are usually quite flat. Some, like the Siberian fir, even look like they've been pressed flat.
If you look at the underside of a fir leaf, you'll often see two whitish lines. These lines are made of stomata (tiny pores for breathing) that are covered in wax. The top surface of the leaves is usually shiny green. Some species have a dull, gray-green or bluish-gray top surface, also covered in wax.
The tips of fir leaves can be different too. Some are slightly notched, like the Momi fir. Others are rounded or dull, such as the White fir or Red fir. Some firs have sharp or prickly leaf tips, like the Santa Lucia fir. Young fir plants often have sharper leaves than older ones.
Fir Cones: Standing Tall
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Intact and disintegrated Bulgarian fir cones
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Immature cones of some of species or races are green, not purple-bluish: for instance, Manchurian fir.
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Disintegrating cones of Manchurian fir
Firs are special because their cones stand upright on the branches, like candles. Most other conifers, like spruces, have cones that hang down. Fir cones are cylindrical and can be 5 to 25 centimeters long.
When fir cones are mature, they break apart right on the tree. This releases their winged seeds, which then fly away to grow new trees.
Mature fir cones are usually brown. However, young cones in the summer can be different colors. Some are green, like those of the Grand fir or Nordmann fir.
Other young cones can be purple or blue, sometimes very dark. Examples include the Fraser fir, Korean fir, and Subalpine fir.
Images for kids
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A. fabri, Sichuan, China
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A. magnifica, California, USA
See also
In Spanish: Abeto para niños
