Other Names: Colorado white fir, concolor fir, silver fir, mountain white fir, and ailm (Celtic)
Number of Species: About 40 species of fir
Family: Pinaceae
Genus/Species: Abies concolor
Leaf (Needle): Evergreen, coniferous, needle-like and flat, 2–3 inches long and curved upward, green to blue in color, pointy tip, grows in a spiral arrangement, and shows two white lines underneath. Fir and spruce are very closely related; one difference is that the cones of the fir grow above the stems and the cones of the spruce point down and below the stems. Fir needles tend to be a bit softer to the touch than those of the spruce, and if you carefully pluck out a single needle from a spruce, you will find a small woody stub at the base that is absent on the fir.
Bark: Somewhat smooth when young and becomes thick and furrowed with age, grayish white in color
Fruit: Cones are brown when mature, 4–5 inches in length
Magickal Properties and Lore: Immortality, endurance, strength, passion, rebirth, protection, youth, purification, and healing. Can represent the World Tree and help us understand our connection to the divine.
Practical Uses: Wood is soft and sometimes used for paper and cheap construction. Often used as a Christmas or Yule tree and has ornamental value due to its attractive appearance.
Medicinal Properties: This tree is toxic and may cause skin problems or symptoms that appear similar to eczema or dermatitis, so be careful when touching it. Resin from the trunk can be used as an antiseptic for treating coughs, sore throats, and respiratory infections. Extracts from the bark can fight tumors. The resin has been used as a filling for tooth decay, and there are many other medicinal benefits, but due its toxicity, please don’t use without professional counsel and much research.