years is more typical. A number of defoliating insects threaten the tree; in the late 20th century, western spruce budworm epidemics killed sizable populations of grand fir in the eastern Cascades and Blue Mountains. The lack of an ability to use pitch to patch wounds, including those from logging and small fires, provides a weakness exploited by rot fungi. East of the Cascade ridge, grand fir trunks are infected by Indian paint fungus, indicating a rotten core; such specimens are often waterlogged and thus crack apart in freezing weather. Pileated woodpeckers search grand and white firs for insects and places to nest. Rotten cores open shelters for various animals, including black bears. The boughs create a rain shelter for humans. A coast grand fir growing south of Bergen was in February 2022 found to be Norway's tallest tree with height of . Uses Native Americans used both grand fir and white fir, powdering the bark or pitch to treat tuberculosis or skin ailments; the Nlaka'pamux used the bark to cover lodges and make canoes, and branches were used as bedding. The inner bark of the grand fir was used by some Plateau Indian tribes for treating colds and fever. The Okanagan-Colville tribe used the species as a strengthening drug to nullify the feeling of weakness. The foliage has an attractive citrus-like scent. It is sometimes used for Christmas decorations in the United States, including Christmas trees, although its stiff branches do not allow it to be economically packed. It is also planted as an ornamental tree in large parks. Timber The lumber is non-resinous and fine textured. In the North American logging industry, the grand fir is often referred to as "hem fir", with hem fir being a number of species with interchangeable types of wood (specifically the California red fir, noble fir, Pacific silver fir, white fir, and western hemlock). Grand fir is often shipped along with these other species. It can also referred to as "white fir" lumber, an umbrella term also referring to Abies amabilis, Abies concolor, and Abies magnifica. Lumber from the grand fir is considered a softwood. As such, it is used for paper making, packing crates, and construction. Hem fir is frequently used for framing, and is able to meet the building code span requirements of numerous construction projects. As a hem fir, the trunk of the grand fir is considered slightly below the