Lovely Silver Fir

[Cruiser]

Abies amabilis

Collected from a dry rocky ridge top. Growing among other stunted trees: western hemlock, subalpine fir, and Douglas fir.

Most 1st order branches have died back resulting in tight epicormic growth. Needles are reduced in scale and display a more vertical alignment in response to over-saturation.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Nice curves

 

[River's Edge]

Would you comment on the condition of the tree as collected? I am curious as to what steps you would advise with respect to known pathogens or insecticidal issues with this species. I note discolouration with bark sections, needle condition in some areas and possible rust of some type! Would it be your experience that proper care and better health would alleviate most of these issues? Or do you practise particular proactive measures after collection?

 

[Cruiser]

@River's Edge

Good questions.

The tree is healthy. Perhaps a 7/10.
Lighter color in the needles is mostly from excessive sun exposure combined with a poor growing site. Less-exposed foliage is darker. Other stunted trees in the area had a similar hue. Some yellowing is also just end-of-season needle drop.
Trunk discolorations are from the aging bark, popped resin blisters, dirt, and epiphytes. The rusty orange spots and green blotches are lichens.
Current seasons growth is healthy. Buds for next year look promising.


My experience is that most stunted trees in the wild contain minor pathogens of some kind. I still collect those that aren’t perfectly healthy. It comes down to how bad the ailment is and is it curable?
The main pathogen to look for and avoid when collecting firs is Balsam Woolly Adelgid. I haven’t found an effective treatment so it’s a dealbreaker. The insect is especially damaging to silver and subalpine firs and will kill them. Nobles seem more resistant.
Other diseases like needle casts and rusts seem less of a problem.

As you know, our Abies are strong trees! I still quarantine new collections but have found that proper aftercare and husbandry seem to alleviate most issues.



Earlier this year I knowingly collected and barerooted a silver fir infected with fir-blueberry rust and amarillia growing at its base. The rust will clear itself up if deprived of alternate hosts. Amarillia causes root rot.
3 months in and the tree is recovering nicely… I’m confident it will make a full recovery.





This other tree nearby had a sever outbreak..


Gouting caused by balsam woolly adelgid. Even if the insect could be eradicated on a tree the structural deformity it causes remains. You can see how the swelling prevents healthy buds from forming and elongating next season.

 

[pandacular]

As always I appreciate your nice writeups on our natives. Someday I’d like to try some PNW native firs!

 

[River's Edge]

The rusty orange spots

First thank you for your insight. Rusty orange Spots can often raised a red flag for me as rust related symptoms. Fortunately my collecting partner is a forester and I have benefitted from his training and insights along the way. The woolly adelgid is common in this neck of the woods. I find some on almost every Hemlock, Fir and Spruce that is collected. I have been managing them with manual removal and prophylactic treatments of the systemic Imidacloprid .5g
My basic premise is that collected trees are surviving in challenging circumstances and the first order of business is to improve their health. I usually expect this to take one or two full years at the minimum. Older trees with underlying issues can be much longer in recovery. For this reason, very careful inspection before collection is an important practise. In the past it has been very disappointing to realize that a very promising collected tree was going to not reach its potential due to major damage not easily discerned upon collection without very careful examination.
Observations passed on through trained eyes are very helpful. Thank you again for sharing. Here is a quick photo of the general directions is use for the systemic. I have been using it for several years with good results. I do not rely on it entirely, still continue careful checks when working on the trees! Purchasing the product involves larger quantities so I have found it sensible to share with a group and repackage in smaller amounts. That keeps the product fresh and economically practical.
One other chemical that is reasonably effective for wooly adelgid is " Sevin " . Some of these products are more readily available in Oregon than Washington state. Others best obtained online. I mention this for those reading who may want further information and advise all to use carefully as instructed with appropriate safety precautions.

 

[Betula1]

Just for further information to consider before using the chemicals you are suggesting.
Imacloprid is a neonicotinoid and is banned in Europe due to its persistence and high toxicity to non target species including bees and aquatic invertebrates and birds.
Sevin is very toxic to aquatic life. moderately toxic to humans through skin contact and ingestion. It functions as a neurotoxin to insects and has the same effect on humans. It is also very toxic to small mammals such as cats etc.

​

Feedback

 

[Cruiser]

First thank you for your insight. Rusty orange Spots can often raised a red flag for me as rust related symptoms. Fortunately my collecting partner is a forester and I have benefitted from his training and insights along the way. The woolly adelgid is common in this neck of the woods. I find some on almost every Hemlock, Fir and Spruce that is collected. I have been managing them with manual removal and prophylactic treatments of the systemic Imidacloprid .5g
My basic premise is that collected trees are surviving in challenging circumstances and the first order of business is to improve their health. I usually expect this to take one or two full years at the minimum. Older trees with underlying issues can be much longer in recovery. For this reason, very careful inspection before collection is an important practise. In the past it has been very disappointing to realize that a very promising collected tree was going to not reach its potential due to major damage not easily discerned upon collection without very careful examination.
Observations passed on through trained eyes are very helpful. Thank you again for sharing. Here is a quick photo of the general directions is use for the systemic. I have been using it for several years with good results. I do not rely on it entirely, still continue careful checks when working on the trees! Purchasing the product involves larger quantities so I have found it sensible to share with a group and repackage in smaller amounts. That keeps the product fresh and economically practical.
One other chemical that is reasonably effective for wooly adelgid is " Sevin " . Some of these products are more readily available in Oregon than Washington state. Others best obtained online. I mention this for those reading who may want further information and advise all to use carefully as instructed with appropriate safety precautions.

Thanks for the insight into Imidacloprid. I recently had to bag up and dispose of a subalpine fir with a bwa infection. It was enough to make me swear off the species for now.
After treatment to remove the insects do you cut out gouted branch sections and regrow from there?

1-2 years recovery is spot on with what I’m seeing in collected native true firs. 2-3 years to reach a vigorous state. Some are safely workable at 1 year or even within that time frame. Fall collections are usually ready for work by Summer/Fall the following year.

 

[River's Edge]

do you cut out gouted branch sections and regrow from there?

I have been reluctant to collect specimens with this level of infection. Occasionally I have pruned off the affected branches during collection if I decide to take the tree! Prefer to be proactive with removal of egg sacs/larvae in webbing when spotted. I avoid all trees with obvious cankers, not a fan of " Uros" on Bonsai.

Fall collections are usually ready for work by Summer/Fall the following year.

I basically use fall time for scouting and spring time for collection. Preference for root work just prior to bud break rather than prior to entering dormancy. Our PNW climate can keep trees relatively active well into the fall/winter season. I do find the firs to be much more tolerant of root work than pines, spruce or hemlock. When I collect in the spring I typically " bare root" the sub alpine fir to remove all the native soil, except the cupful I stir back in to ensure mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria from the collection site continue to populate the root ball.