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| Trees
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Blue
Spruce (Picea pungens)
Colorado
blue spruce, or blue spruce, is an attractive tree often used for Christmas
trees or as ornamentals, particularly in the eastern United States and
Europe. The species generally reaches a height of 65-115 feet at maturity
with a diameter of 2-3 feet. It has a narrow, pyramidal shape and cone-shaped
crown. As trees become older, they often take on a more irregular appearance.
(Learn more about Blue Spruce) |
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Douglas
Fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii)
Douglas-fir
is not related to the true firs. This wide ranging species grows from 70
to 250 feet tall. The branches are spreading to drooping, the buds sharply
pointed and the bark is very thick, fluted, ridged, rough and dark brown.
The needles are dark green or blue green, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, soft
to the touch and radiate out in all directions from the branch. They have
a sweet fragrance when crushed. (Learn more about
Douglas Fir) |
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Grand
Fir (Abies grandis)
The grand fir is one of
the tallest firs, reaching heights of 300 feet. It is easily distinguished
from other Pacific Northwest firs by its sprays of lustrous needles in
two distinct rows. They are usually horizontally spread so that both the
upper and lower sides of the branches are clearly visible. The needles
are 1 to 1 1/2 inches long with glossy dark green tops and two highly visible
white lines of stomata on the undersides. (Learn
more about Grand Fir) |
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Noble
Fir (Abies procera)
In
the wild, the trees are tall, beautifully symmetrical and grow to over
200 feet in height. The bark is smooth with resin blisters when young and
changes to brownish-gray plates with age. The needles are roughly 4-sided
(similar to spruce), over 1 inch long, bluish-green but appearing silver
because of 2 white rows of stomata on the underside and 1-2 rows on the
upper surface. (Learn more about Noble Fir) |
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Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir.)
In many respects, Fraser fir and balsam fir are quite similar, although the geographic ranges of the two species do not overlap. Some scientists even suggest that because of the many similarities, the two species were once a single species which has since evolved into the present-day forms. (Learn more about Fraser Fir)
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