Trees to 25m; trunk to 0.7 diam.; crown spirelike. Bark gray, thin, smooth, with age developing appressed reddish scales at trunk base. Branches diverging from trunk at right angles; twigs opposite, pale yellow-brown, pubescence reddish. Buds exposed, light brown, conic, small, resinous, apex acute; basal scales short, broad, equilaterally triangular, glabrous, resinous, margins entire, apex sharp-pointed. Leaves 1.2--2. × 1.5--2mm, 2-ranked, particularly in lower parts of tree, to spiraled, flexible; cross section flat, grooved adaxially; odor turpentinelike, strong; abaxial surface with (8--)10(--12) stomatal rows on each side of midrib; adaxial surface dark lustrous green, sometimes slightly glaucous, with 0--3 stomatal rows at midleaf, these more numerous toward leaf apex; apex slightly notched to rounded; resin canals large, ± median, away from margins and midway between abaxial and adaxial epidermal layers. Pollen cones at pollination reddish yellow or yellowish green. Seed cones cylindric, 3.5--6 ´ 2.5--4cm, dark purple overlaid with yellowish green bracts, sessile, apex round; scales ca. 0.7--1 ´ 1--1.3cm, pubescent; bracts exserted and reflexed over cone scales. Seeds 4--5 ´ 2--3mm, body brown; wing about as long as body, purple; cotyledons ca. 5. 2 n =24.
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Much like no. 1 [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.], but not so evidently spire-topped; lvs often conspicuously notched at the tip; cone-scales nearly reniform, bracts strongly exserted, exceeding the subtended scale, reflexed, retuse and aristate at the erose summit. High elev. in the Blue Ridge Mts.; sw. Va. to N.C. and Tenn.
An evergreen tree. It grows 15 m high and spreads 3 m wide. The trunk is erect and the crown is open. The leaves are bluish-green and shiny. They have 2 broad white bands on the under surface. The cones are purplish.
Montane forests, occasionally in pure stands but usually mixed with othe conifers and broadleaves, growing best on north-facing slopes, on soils that are commonly podzolized and moderately acid; at elevations from 1,200-2038 metres.
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It is a temperate plant. It will grow in most soils. It is resistant to drought and frost.
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