What is Abies amabilis?
'''Abies amabilis,''' or '''Pacific silver fir''' is a large [[evergreen]] [[conifer]] that grows up to 30–45 meters tall and has a trunk [[diameter]] of up to 1.2 m. Its bark is light grey, thin, and covered with [[resin]] [[Blister|blisters]], while older trees darken and develop scales and [[Furrow|furrows]]. The leaves are [[needle]]-like, flattened, and have a [[spiral]] leaf arrangement. The shoots are orange-red with dense velvety [[pubescence]], and the cones are 9–17 cm long and 4–6 cm broad, dark [[purple]] before maturity. The winged seeds are released when the cones disintegrate at maturity about 6–7 months after [[pollination]]. The tree can live to over 400 years old and is closely related to [[Maries' fir A. mariesii]] from [[Japan]]. It is native to the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, occurring in the [[Pacific Coast Ranges]] and the [[Cascade Range]] from the extreme southeast of [[Alaska]], through western [[British Columbia]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], [[Oregon]], to the extreme northwest of California. It grows from [[sea level]] to 1,000 m in the north and 610–2,000 m in the south. Pacific silver fir is found in [[Temperate rainforest|temperate rainforests]] with high [[precipitation]] and cool, [[Humidity|humid]] summers, growing in dense stands and prospering in shade and snow. Common associate trees include [[western hemlock]], [[Douglas fir|Douglas-fir]], and [[California buckeye]]. Although its thin bark makes it susceptible to fire, slow-growing [[Sapling|saplings]] succeed less shade-tolerant species. [[Native American|Indigenous Nations]], including the [[Nuxalk]], [[Haisla]], and [[Kitasoo]] Nations, used Abies amabilis or Silver Fir for [[Medicine|medicinal]] purposes and entered into nourishing relationships with this plant. Seeds were not brought to England for cultivation until the 19th century, with [[David Douglas]] responsible for transporting seed abroad in 1825. The soft and not very strong wood of Pacific silver fir was used for [[Paper|paper making]], [