With the assistance of a forester, I have learned of the presence of several members of an invasive species in my yard. They are invasive simply by their presence well outside of their normal range. Having found their way into the local environment they certainly seem to have flourished. I will leave them right where they are; they are a whole bigger than I am by 10-fold or more. ( I could gather up a tape measure, protractor, pen, and paper and calculate a more accurate measure of their height, rather than guesstimate how many of me's would it take to stand that tall.) In addition to the disproportionate comparison of height, they are also a whole lot better looking than I.

I am speaking of a group of three Grand Fir (Abies grandis). They are known by several common names, including Western White Fir. There are two varieties and their home range is the Pacific Northwest. The home range of one, Coastal Grand Fir, (var. grandis) is the Oregon/Washington coast and the western slope of the Rockies.  The home range of the other, Interior Grand Fir, (var. idahoensis) is the eastern slopes of the Rockies and the Cascades. They are reported to be hardy to zone 6. According to the United States Department of Agriculture mapping, these particular trees are currently residing in zone 5 or 5a, so they may be pushing that limit. They grow in elevations from sea level to 5,100 feet. My yard is a little more than 600 feet above sea level. One characteristic I have made note of over the years is that they don't drop cones like most pines. The 3-4" cones form only within the top 10 or so feet of the tree. The cones fall apart or disintegrate in place, if you will, approximately 6 months after pollination. One does not find intact cones, that have dried and released their seeds, on the ground. According to the forester the needles have a characteristic lemon or citrus odor when crushed or broken. (I am able to concur with this observation.) The species is a valuable source of lumber and is one of several species marketed as hem fir.

Off to the side of this small grove of Grand Fir and the several off-spring which they have produced are several White Spruce (Picea glauca). This is a species of the climax boreal forest and thrive in zones 3 through 7. A northwestern most slice of Wisconsin apparently makes the grade as boreal forest country. Therefore these folks are more native. All in all, the locals and the interlopers are getting along just fine. The Grand Fir, if true to their nature and adequately supported by the immediate environment, will continue to increasingly tower over their Spruce neighbors in the years ahead.

I can only speculate how the Grand Fir arrived in northern Wisconsin. The story is told that a previous owner of several lots in this city block was an employee of a county or state forestry department. Before these lots were developed and partially cleared for home sites, the owner planted extra seedlings that he had brought home from work. (I do not know the circumstances under which he found himself in possession of "extras.") I estimate that this all took place prior to the outbreak of World War II during the days of the WPA.

I find myself wondering if there are stands of Grand Fir elsewhere in the county. Did they thrive well and long enough to be harvested for paper making or some other wood product in the years since? Are any still standing today?