Return to Native Trees of the Southern Rocky Mountains

The Corkbark fir is very similar to the Subalpine fir. The distinguishing feature is the pale bark which makes this tree stand out among the Engelmann spruce trees, almost like aspen. The bark is usually yielding and tough, not brittle or flaky. The color is pale ash grey, creamy white, or yellow-white. The bark is irregularly ridged or checkered, sometimes very thick, soft, corky or spongy. Subalpine fir bark is smooth and a darker gray up to over 12 inches in trunk diamater, and then starts to form scales.

Corkbark fir has blue needles that can rival the Blue spruce for color. The large mature needles are about 1 inch long, reaching 1 1/2 inches, and naturally flat like all fir needles (not sharp and stiff like Blue spruce needles). The cones are like the cones on the Subalpine fir. Corkbark fir typically reaches 30 to 60 feet in height, and 6 inches to 18 inches in trunk diameter.

Corkbark fir is found in the mountains west and south of the Arkansas River, at elevations where Subalpine fir would be expected, or a little lower, 8000 to 11000 or 12000 feet. Typical locations are the Sangre de Cristos and San Juan Mountains. It is common on Wolf Creek Pass.

Corkbark fir can form climax spruce-fir forests with Engelmann spruce. It is possible that all or nearly all the fir growing in the mountains of northern New Mexico is Corkbark fir, rather than Subalpine fir. If so, there should be a transition zone where both are found, near the southern boundary of Colorado.

The largest Corkbark fir grows near Ruidoso New Mexico; it was 111 feet tall and 13 feet 9 inches around when last measured. In windy exposed high locations Corkbark fir may be dwarfed or deformed like Subalpine fir in such a setting. Corkbark fir has the lightest American wood, weighing only 17 pounds per cubic foot, and is correspondingly weak, so it has little or no use for lumber. The scientific name is Abies arizonica.