White Fir

White fir ranges from Colorado south to California and Mexico, with western populations adapted to dry, high-elevation sites. Reaching 30 to 50 feet in cultivation (taller in the wild), it forms a broad, conical crown with pale, bluish-green needles that tolerate more heat and drought than most firs. You see white fir in Puget Sound gardens occasionally, performing adequately where summers are cool and moisture consistent, though it is not ideal for our maritime climate.

White fir adapts to sun or part shade and prefers well-drained soil in the slightly acidic to neutral pH range (5.5 to 7.8). Moderate water needs and some drought tolerance once established make it less demanding than true silver fir or noble fir. Watch for needle blight, shoot blight, and root disease in humid conditions; provide good air circulation. This species is useful at higher elevations and in drier parts of the Puget Sound region; at low elevations with high rainfall, it may struggle with disease pressure.