Abies alba Mill., European Silver-fir
Account Summary
Introduction, neophyte, deliberately planted, rare but certainly often over-looked or ignored and therefore under-recorded.
24 July 1986; Northridge, R.H. & Forbes, R.S.; Gubbaroe Point, shore of Lower Lough Erne.
June and July.
Self-sown and naturalised or deliberately planted, this is certainly under-recorded in Fermanagh since we tend to walk along with crooked necks inspecting the ground rather than looking up at the trees! Recording introduced, deliberately planted alien trees was certainly not regarded as a worthwhile exercise by earlier field workers including Meikle and his co- workers, and indeed many such trees remain ignored to this day, even when they might be capable of occasional naturalisation. A. alba is a case in point, it being able to regenerate freely from self-sown seed in mixed woodland on fertile soils. Saplings can develop even under a woodland canopy (M.E. Braithwaite, in: Preston et al. 2002). A native of the mountains of C & S Europe (Jalas & Suominen 1973, Map 152) A. alba was first introduced to the British Isles in 1603. Formerly it was widely planted as a specimen tree in gardens and in timber plantations, especially in the N & W of these islands (Mitchell 1974; Stace 1997). Interestingly, it was first recorded from the wild in the British Isles as late as 1914.
Fermanagh recorded occurrences
In Fermanagh, we have only four records of A. alba in semi-wild situations on wood margins and thickets. Even with these few records, we have no definite evidence and cannot be absolutely certain that they are self-sown rather than planted. There is evidence of other alien trees being planted at Cladagh River Glen for instance. The details of the other three stations are: two records by D.M. Smith, W. McKenna & Ms E. Kennedy in July 1990, in Glen Wood, Florencecourt and Corry Point Wood FNR, Lower Lough Macnean; and Cladagh River Glen NR, 6 June 1991, Ms B. Hamill & M. Bradley.
Other Silver Firs
The other Abies species most likely to be found self-sown and naturalised in parts of Britain and Ireland is A. procera (Noble Fir), although we do not as yet have any records for it in Fermanagh. It is a very handsome tree with blue-grey foliage and it is frequently planted as a single row around blocks of forestry plots (including some in the Lough Navar Forest Park), to make the plantation more attractive in appearance.
A. alba is now very seldom planted because its foliage is more susceptible to rust fungus and woolly aphids than other Silver Firs, eg A. grandis (Giant Fir) and A. procera. In amenity plantations, A. alba has been largely replaced by A. nordmanniana (Caucasian Fir), of which Forestry Service timber trials are also under way. In the last 20 years or so, A. nordmanniana has also begun to oust Picea abies (Norway Spruce), as the most popular 'Christmas tree', since unlike the latter it does not drop its leaves indoors over the holiday period (Stace 1997). The gaunt 'stag-head' tops of surviving old trees of A. alba are often rather noticeable from a distance in estate parks and woodlands.
Like the other species of Abies and indeed all exotic conifers, A. alba is inconsistently recorded in the flora of Britain and Ireland, making it very probably seriously under-recorded (M.E. Braithwaite, in: Preston et al. 2002).
Names
The genus name 'Abies' is from the Latin 'abire' meaning 'to rise', which is considered by some to refer to the great height some species of the genus can attain under good growing conditions (Hyam and Pankhurst 1995). The specific epithet is Latin meaning 'white', possibly referring to the distinctive whitish stomatal bands on the undersurfaces of the leaves.
Threats
None.