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September 25, 2007 : Abies bracteata
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Keywords: Pinaceae | Abies bracteata (D. Don) A. Poit. | UBC Campus, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Thank you again to Douglas Justice for both today's photograph and accompanying written entry. – Daniel.
Today's photo was taken at the Botanical Garden, but the tree from which the cone was taken grows some distance away on the UBC campus. John Worrall, whose thumb and forefinger can be seen in the photo, planted a seedling tree grown from seed he collected in the wild in California approximately 25 years ago. Worrall, Professor Emeritus of Forestry, is well known as a dendrologist and fierce tree advocate, and equally, for his guerrilla tree plantings around UBC.
Known as the bristlecone or Santa Lucia fir (it is found in the Santa Lucia Mountains), the campus tree is now close to 15m tall and is coning for the first time. Most authorities place this species in its own group (some place it in its own subgenus — Pseudotorreya), based upon its unique, long, sharp-pointed buds and needles, and extraordinary cone bracts. These stiffly curving squirrel guards extend 5 or 6 cm from the cone and are each supplied with a sticky gob of resin. Although this beautiful conifer has an extremely restricted range, its conservation status was assessed as a “lower risk” Lr/cd (lower risk, conservation dependent) on the IUCN Red List (version 2.3, 1994).
Abies species are often difficult subjects in gardens, most preferring deep soils and the cool conditions of mountain slopes. However, western North American, Pacific Slope conifers are adapted to relatively dry summer conditions, and the Californian species to an especially long, hot, dry summer regime. This specimen has probably done as well as it has because it's planted against a large brick building, facing south and out of the reach of irrigation.
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at September 25, 2007 5:27 AM
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Comments
Posted by: Michael F at September 25, 2007 6:31 AM
Simply stunning!
Posted by: Eric in SF at September 25, 2007 7:55 AM
I like the idea of guerrilla tree plantings.
Posted by: Myma at September 25, 2007 8:20 AM
Fantastic! Now I will do the research is it possible to grow in my zone - never seen something so fascinating in Abies
Posted by: Anna at September 25, 2007 8:34 AM
What a wonderful cone! Squirrel guards with gobs of resin! I love the infinite opportunism of living things. Here Abies bracteata is using its resin to protect it's seed potential. I'm reminded of seeing Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers in South Carolina tending sap wells on the perimeter of the cleared area of their nest cavity entrance in Longleaf Pines. The wells exude resin which protects the cavity from (climbing!) rat snakes and perhaps other predators. What a wonderful weaving dance!
Posted by: George L. 
at September 25, 2007 8:34 AM
On the other hand said to be a moist climate species driven into its restricted range by drying of California's climate, with fires being a threat. Frequent associated species in wild Acer macrophyllum.
Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle (USDA 8), also has some coning examples. One of these was 57 ft. high in 1990.
Posted by: Ron B at September 25, 2007 8:48 AM
Such a great picture, I swear I can smell the pine pitch!
Posted by: Peggy at September 25, 2007 11:18 AM
Oops! Excuse me, I meant FIR pitch!
Posted by: Peggy at September 25, 2007 11:23 AM
i sit here in front of the
computer the image is so real one
feels one can walk right into the
image and shake john woralls hand
has a pineapple look does it not
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at September 25, 2007 12:31 PM
Now I understand how these trees get their common name. I have never seen a cone like this before.
Posted by: Meg Bernstein at September 26, 2007 3:44 AM
A great picture. I did field research on this tree 1967-68 and published a range extension in the Tilden Park Botanical Journal with photos of Abies.b with Hearst Castle in the background.
I am glade to hear that the tree is doing well in B.C.
Posted by: Donald Olson at May 27, 2008 9:11 PM
Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!
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Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.
Nice specimen. And good for Professor Worrall!