Abies religiosa

Sacred fir is in the pine or Pinaceae family and is native to mountains of cental and southern Mexico and western Guatemala, growing at altitudes of 2,100-4,100 m in cloud forests. It can grow up to 50 m in height.

The sacred fir is the preferred tree for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) to reside in colonies during its hibernation in the forests of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Although monarch butterflies are known in other parts of the southern Mexican highlands as some specimens do not migrate, the bulk of them gather in a few protected fir forests near the towns of Angangueo (Michoacán) and Avándaro (State of Mexico), from December to March.

• Tree crown is gently tapered to a point.
• Leaves are needle-like, flattened, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 1.5 mm wide, 0.5 mm thick and thick, acute tipped, dark green above, with 2 blue-white stomatal bands below. They are spirally arranged but with each leaf variably twisted at the base so they lie flat to either side of and above the shoot, with none below the shoot.
• The species is monoecious. Seed cones are erect, 8–16 cm long, 4–6 cm wide, dark blue-purple before maturity. Scale bracts are purple or greenish, of moderate length, with the tips exposed in the closed cone. Cones disintegrate in early fall to release winged seeds.