Description

Abies- Fir

This mid to large evergreen shrubs and trees, makes them ideal for shurburn areas.  They prefer cool-cold climates such as Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America mountainous areas where they escape urban pollution and extreme temperatures although some varies expand into the tropics.  These fir’s has long narrow, needles that are distributed equally horizontal and laterally along the twig. Color differs mid to dark green often with grayish white bands underneath. Female cones grow erect on upper branches, which ripen over a year then release seeds.

They prefer sun moist soil or soil with good moisture retention but with good drainage, neutral to alkaline soil.  The only pruning needed to be done is to remove dead twigs to insure good circulation.

Prone to adelgids, bark beetles, bagworms and spruce budworms.  A wide variety of fungi cause needle blights and root rots.  Rust diseases are common.

A. koreana – Korean Fir -From the mountains of South Korea grown in the west from the early 1900’s. Grows to 40’ feet tall in its naturally habit in a narrow pyramid shape.  In cultivation it grows to about half that and is available in dwarf varieties such as ‘Compact Dwarf’, ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’. Both tree and shrub have dark green needles to ½”, curl up to show their shinny white underside. The cones are a distinctive purple.  It’s a slow grower.

Zones 5-9