Scientific Name: Abies concolor
Family: Pinaceae (pine family)

Overview: Although not yet as popular as its sibling, the Fraser fir, the concolor fir is increasingly popular due to its silvery, cozy soft needles, citrus-like aroma, and good to excellent needle retention in the home.

Fun Facts: White fir is the natural host to the "fir mistletoe," a parasitic plant: just for fun, try asking for one with a mistletoe on it at the Chistmas tree farm. Its weak wood is used on a small scale for paper pulp, packing boxes and crates. A protected species in Nevada due to its potential for over-exploitation as a Christmas tree.

Etymology: "Fir" is derived from the Middle English (c. 1100-1500 AD) firre and is Germanic in origin. "White" alludes either to its white needles or white wood, and "concolor" in both its common and scientific names refers to the unusual aspect of the needles being the same color on both the uppper and lower surfaces. The genus name Abies is Latin for "fir tree."