Abies magnifica var. magnifica (Red Fir) is a large evergreen tree native to the Sierra Nevada mounains. The name Red Fir derives from the bark color of old trees.The bark on young trees is smooth, grey, and with resin blisters, becoming orange-red, rough and fissured on old trees.It is a high altitude tree, typically occurring at 1,400-2,700 meter altitude, though only rarely reaching tree line. It grows up to 40-60 meter tall and 2 meter trunk diameter, rarely to 76 meter tall and 3 meter diameter, with a narrow conic crown.The leaves are needle-like, 2-3.5 centimeter long, and waxy blue-green with a sharp acute tip that bends upward. They are arranged spirally on the shoot, but twisted slightly s-shaped to be upcurved above the shoot. The cones are erect, 9-21 centimeter long, yellow-green occasionally purple), ripening brown and disintegrating to release the winged seeds in fall.