Abies alba is a large evergreenconiferous tree growing to tall and with a trunk diameter up to. The largest measured tree was 60 m tall and had a trunk diameter of. It occurs at altitudes of , on mountains with rainfall over per year. The leaves are needle-like, flattened, long and wide by thick, glossy dark green above, and with two greenish-white bands of stomata below. The tip of the leaf is usually slightly notched at the tip. The cones are long and broad, with about 150-200 scales, each scale with an exserted bract and two winged seeds; they disintegrate when mature to release the seeds. The wood is white, leading to the species namealba. When cultivated on Christmas Tree plantations, the tree naturally forms a symmetrical triangle shape. The trees are full and dense with strong evergreen fragrance, and are known to be one of the longest lasting after being cut. In the forest the evergreen tends to form stands with other firs and beeches. It is closely related to Bulgarian fir further to the southeast in the Balkan Peninsula, Spanish fir of Spain and Morocco and Sicilian fir in Sicily, differing from these and other related Euro-Mediterranean firs in the sparser foliage, with the leaves spread either side of the shoot, leaving the shoot readily visible from above. Some botanists treat Bulgarian fir and Sicilian fir as varieties of silver fir, as A. alba var. acutifolia and A. alba var. nebrodensis, respectively.
Ecology
Silver fir is an important component species in the dinaric calcareous block fir forest in the western Balkan Peninsula. In Italy, the silver fir is an important component of the mixed broadleaved-coniferous forest of the Apennine Mountains, especially in northern Apennine. The fir prefer a cold and humid climate, in northern exposition, with a high rainfall. In the oriental Alps of Italy, silver firs grow in mixed forests with Norway spruce, beech, and other trees. Its cone scales are eaten by the caterpillars of the tortrix mothCydia illutana, while C. duplicana feeds on the bark around injuries or canker.
Chemistry and pharmacology
The bark and wood of silver fir are rich in antioxidative polyphenols. Six phenolic acids were identified, three flavonoids and eight lignans. The extract from the trunk was shown to prevent atherosclerosis in guinea pigs and to have cardioprotective effect in isolated rat hearts. Silver fir wood extract was found to reduce the post-prandial glycemic response in healthy volunteers.
Uses
In Roman timesthe wood was used to make wooden casks to store and transport wine and other substances. A resinous essential oil can be extracted. This pine-scented oil is used in perfumes, bath products, and aerosol inhalants. Its branches were used for production of spruce beer. Silver fir is the species first used as a Christmas tree, but has been largely replaced by Nordmann fir, Norway spruce, and other species. The wood is strong, lightweight, light-colored, fine grained, even-textured and long fibered. The timber is mainly used as construction wood, furniture, plywood, pulpwood and paper manufacture.
Etymology
Abies is derived from Latin, meaning 'rising one'. The name was used to refer to tall trees or ships. Alba means 'bright' or 'dead white'.
