Difference between Pine and Fir
Both pine and fir are often confused. Both plants belong to the coniferous group and to the Pinaceae family, but the pine is usually considered a shrub while the fir trees are trees. They also differ at the time of release of their pineapples and cones.
Pine tree
Pines are vascular plants, trees and shrubs that belong to the group of conifers and to the family of Pinaceae. They have pyramidal or rounded crowns and in adult trees it can be wide and depressed. It develops male cones on annual shoots and the seeds are winged.
Fir tree
It belongs to the genus Abies and belongs to the family of Pinaceae and the group of conifers. In this genus there are 33 main species and 22 subspecies. They grow in coniferous forests of Central and East Asia, North America, and central and southern Europe. They can grow from 10 to 80 m tall.
Differences between pine and spruce
- Firs are distinguished from pines by their needle-like leaves attached to the branch by a suction cup. They also have cylindrical cones 5 to 25 cm long, compact, with scales, these stand erect on the branches of the upper part.
- Pine cones break off and fall to the ground.
- The cones of the fir tree do not fall, but decompose, releasing the pinions.
- Pines belong to the genus Pinus.
- Firs belong to the genus Abies.
- Pines can be trees or shrubs.
- Firs are trees and can grow in very cold and mountainous areas in the northern hemisphere.
- Pines can be trees or shrubs. They grow in cold areas of the northern hemisphere to the subtropics.
- Firs have about 55 species.
- Pines have 120 species.
- Firs have short needles, less than 5 cm long. Soft to the touch.
- Pines have needles in groups of 2 to 8 with a length ranging from 1 inch to 16 inches.
- Pine trees have an open, rounded canopy, a slightly triangular or irregular shape.
- Fir trees have a tall triangular shape.
