WHITE FIR - Abies alba

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Description

Individual trees grow to 50 metres and are characterised by having shortish, horizontal branches. The needles are stiff and blunt ended and en masse are usually dark green on the upper surface and the lower two whitish lines giving the foliage the silver colour.

In the Highlands, the species is grown for decorative purposes.

Extraction

The oil is extracted from the needles and twigs of trees from pruning operations.

Chemical composition

The typical composition of a Highland oil is:

- Limonene 48.5%
- Alpha pinene 14.6%
- beta pinene 14.1%
- myrcene 9.0%
- delta carene 4.5

Uses

The resin is traditionally used and other parts of the plant are used in the locations where the species traditionally grows.

No specific uses have been recorded for the oil.

Blending

There is no recorded use of the oil blended with others.