Spermatophytes (seed plants): Gymnosperms (non-flowering plants): Conifers: Pinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Abies fraseri
FAMILY
Pinaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Learn more about Fraser Fir from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Abies fraseri
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Abies fraseri
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Abies fraseri
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-04-001:
Abies fraseri FAMILY Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Abies fraseri
COMMON NAME:
Fraser Fir, She Balsam, Southern Balsam
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Manual of the Trees of North America (Exclusive of Mexico) (Sargent, 1905) mtna_i_083
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_abfr_001_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm0501b_02
January
)
JK Marlow jkm160503_261
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
)
JK Marlow jkm160503_281
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
)
JK Marlow jkm160503_331
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
)
JK Marlow jkm160503_334
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
After seed cones disintegrate, the spikelike upright central axis is left, per Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004).
)
JK Marlow jkm160503_336
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
)
JK Marlow jkm170507_721
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
)
JK Marlow jkm170507_722
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
The flat fragrant leaves leave circular scars on the twig when removed, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
)
Keith Bradley kab_abies_fraseri_8831
May VA
Grayson Highlands State Park
)
Keith Bradley kab_abies_fraseri_8834
May Grayson County VA
Grayson Highlands State Park
)
JK Marlow jkm0407t_34
July Mitchell County NC
The Roan Highlands
The bark has resin blisters, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_a_fraseri_12
July Towns-Union Counties GA
Brasstown Bald
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_a_fraseri_4
July Towns-Union Counties GA
Brasstown Bald
Leaves 2-ranked (esp in lower parts of tree) to spiraled, flexible, per Flora of North America.
)
JK Marlow s050806_ij
August Transylvania County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Needles not more than 1" long, green above & with chalky white bands below, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
COMPARE
needles of Fir, Hemlock and Spruce
)
JK Marlow jkm140913_680
September Haywood County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Foliage soft to the touch, with a strong resinous odor when rubbed, per Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988).
COMPARE
conifers (not including Pines)
)
JK Marlow jkm190914_1567
September Swain County NC
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
)
JK Marlow jkm190914_1568
September Swain County NC
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
)
Ron Lance rwl_abiesfraseri
September Jackson County NC
Mature seed cones erect, cylindrical, about 2.5" long, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
COMPARE
cones of Fir, Hemlock and Spruce
)
JK Marlow jkm061104_014
November Swain County NC
)
JK Marlow jkm061104_015b
November Swain County NC
)
L.L. (Chick) Gaddy llg_fraserfirredspruce
Month Unknown
Left: soft balsam-scented needles of Fraser Fir. Right: prickly Red Spruce, per Alpine South: Plants and Plant Communities of the High Elevations of the Southern Appalachians (Gaddy, 2014).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Abies fraseri
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Abies fraseri
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Abies fraseri
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Abies fraseri
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-04-001:
Abies fraseri
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Abies fraseri
8
Tree
Perennial
Monoecious
Habitat: High elevation forests, from about 1500-2037 m, per Weakley's Flora
Native to North Carolina, naturalized in Georgia
Rare in NC Mountains (waifs in GA)
Click here to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Needles flattened, to 1" long
Needles not in bundles, arranged on all sides of twig
"FLOWER":
Spring/Summer
Unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Perple/Tan-brown
Cone
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Landscaping with Native Trees (Sternberg & Wilson, 1995) p037
- Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007) p260
- Trees of the Southeastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1988) p039
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p02
- Wildflowers & Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont (Spira, 2011) p219
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p043