Abies alba European Silver-fir

Native to the montane forests of Europe from the Pyrenees to the Balkans, where it can grow to produce towering trees up to 80m tall. It was introduced to Britain in the early 17th Century and was  planted widely after that. However it suffers badly from attacks by the woolly aphid (Adelges nordmanniana) which results in defoliation and die-back and it is not used in British forestry for timber today, although it is sometimes used as a Christrmas tree. The cones grow upright with characteristic down-turned bracts between the scales and are found only at the tops of mature trees. They disintergate on the tree so, unlike the cones of pines and spruces, they are not found on the floor unless they have been blown off prematurely in high winds. In West Glamorgan you might encounter small, isolated groups of European Silver Fir in plantations (e.g. Rheola) and in large parks. There is no significant regeneration from seed so it is hardly ever found naturalising.