Trees to 75m; trunk to 1.5 diam.; crown conic, in age round topped or straggly. Bark gray, thin to thick, with age becoming brown, often with reddish periderm visible in furrows bounded by hard flat ridges. Branches spreading, drooping; twigs mostly opposite, light brown, pubescent. Buds exposed, purple, green, or brown, globose, small to moderately large, resinous, apex round; basal scales short, broad, equilaterally triangular, slightly pubescent or glabrous, resinous, margins entire, apex pointed or slightly rounded. Leaves (1--)2-- ´ l.5--2.5mm, 2-ranked, flexible, with leaves at center of branch segment longer than those near ends, or with distinct long and short leaves intermixed, proximal portion ± straight, leaves higher in tree spiraled and 1-ranked; cross section flat, grooved adaxially; odor pungent, faintly turpentinelike; abaxial surface with 5--7 stomatal rows on each side of midrib; adaxial surface light to dark lustrous green, lacking stomates or with a few stomates toward leaf apex; apex distinctly notched (rarely rounded); resin canals small, near margins and abaxial epidermal layer. Pollen cones at pollination bluish red, purple, orange, yellow, or ± green. Seed cones cylindric, (5--)6--7(--12) ´ 3--3.5cm, light green, dark blue, deep purple, or gray, sessile, apex rounded; scales ca. 2--2.5 ´ 2--2.5cm, densely pubescent; bracts included. Seeds 6--8 ´ 3--4mm, body tan; wing about 1.5 times as long as body, tan with rosy tinge; cotyledons (4--)5--6(--7). 2 n =24.
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A large fir tree. It grows 40-90 m high. The trunk can be 90 cm across. The leaves when crushed smell like orange peel. The leaves are relatively stiff and 20-35 mm long. They are shorter on the upper side of the twig. The upper surface is shiny dark green and grooved. There are several lines of white dots underneath. The leaves spread horizontally in two layers. The cones are small and ripen to dark brown. They have a blunt or sunken tip. They are 5-12 cm long. The scales are wider than long. The seeds are light tan and 6-10 mm long.
Forests, mainly in lowland coastal areas but also in mountains, occasionally in pure stands; it is found in a variety of soils, but prefers a deep rich alluvia; it is found at elevations up to 2,000 metres.
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It is a temperate plant. It does best in deep moist soils. It grows at low altitudes in Canada and N USA. It can tolerate some shade. It suits hardiness zones 6-9.
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