Abies lasiocarpa, the subalpine fir or Rocky Mountain fir, is a western North American fir tree.
Abies lasiocarpa 26008
Specimen in Olympic National Park in mid-September
Specimen in Mount Rainier National Park in late September
Krummholz — also called knieholz — is a type of stunted, deformed vegetation encountered in the subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes, shaped by continual exposure to fierce, freezing winds. Un
Abies lasiocarpa
…short-lived, and slow-growing. Despite having weaker wood than some of its timberline associates, it can survive by its ability to adapt (growing in a krummholz form) and reproduce via layering in clusters at high elevations. At timberline, a single tree can leave behind a ring of trees (an 'atoll') via layering…
Krummholz Pinus albicaulis in Wenatchee National Forest in north-central Washington, United States
Wind-sculpted krummholz trees, Ona Beach, Oregon, United States
Picea engelmannii flag tree in Colorado, at the tree line
Banner tree, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile