The white fir is a western North American native with flat, up-curved silver-blue needles that can grow to 75 feet with a 25-foot spread. It should be allowed to grow in an open, full-sun location so the branches can spread to their maximum width. The cultivar 'Violacea' has paler silver-blue needles than the species and has branches that grow more thickly. With time, it may develop upward-facing cones that start off a dark murky gray-blue. White firs are more tolerant of heat and drought than most firs, and are the best species to grow in the Chicago area.