in mixed forests with Norway spruce, beech, and other trees. Its cone scales are eaten by the caterpillars of the tortrix moth Cydia illutana, while C. duplicana feeds on the bark around injuries or canker. Chemistry and pharmacology The bark and wood of silver fir are rich in antioxidative polyphenols. Six phenolic acids were identified (gallic, homovanillic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic and p-coumaric), three flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin and catechin tetramethyl ether) and eight lignans (taxiresinol, 7-(2-methyl-3,4-dihydroxytetrahydropyran-5-yloxy)-taxiresinol, secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, hydroxymatairesinol, isolariciresinol, matairesinol and pinoresinol). The extract from the trunk was shown to prevent atherosclerosis in guinea pigs and to have cardioprotective effect in isolated rat hearts. Silver fir wood extract was found to reduce the post-prandial glycemic response (concentration of sugar in the blood after the meal) in healthy volunteers. Uses In Roman times the wood was used to make wooden casks to store and transport wine and other substances. A resinous essential oil can be extracted. This pine-scented oil is used in perfumes, bath products, and aerosol inhalants. Its branches (including the leaves, bark and wood) were used for production of spruce beer. Silver fir is the species first used as a Christmas tree, but has been largely replaced by Nordmann fir (which has denser, more attractive foliage), Norway spruce (which is much cheaper to grow), and other species. The wood is strong, lightweight, light-colored, fine grained, even-textured and long fibered. The timber is mainly used as construction wood, furniture, plywood, pulpwood and paper manufacture. The honeydew which is produced by aphids sitting on the silver fir is collected by honey bees. The resulting honey is marketed as "fir honey". Etymology Abies is derived from Latin, meaning 'rising one'. The name was used to refer to tall trees or ships. Alba means 'bright' or 'dead white'. References External links conifers.org: Abies alba botany.cz: Abies alba Mill photomazza.com: Abies alba conifersaroundtheworld.com: Abies alba - European White Fir. pfaf.org: Abies alba Mill. monumentaltrees.com: The thickest, tallest, and oldest European silver fir trees (Abies alba) baumkunde.de: Weiß-Tanne (Abies alba) | In German Abies alba. Distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) alba Trees of Europe Flora of the Alps Flora of Spain Flora of the Pyrenees Flora of France Flora of the Carpathians Plants described in 1768 Flora of Montenegro Taxa named by Philip Miller