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. alba – European Silver Fir – A. pectinata – Silver fir – This columnar species can reach 200+ feet tall 20 feet wide but in cultivation seldom reaches 100 feet.  Their timber has been used for centuries as ship masks by the Romans and the Greeks, as well as telephone poles.  Native to northwestern Canada and Southern Alaska and Europe. It has glossy green needles with a bluish white underside are about an inch long and are arrange on shoots in a “V” shape.  The 4-6 inch cylindrical yellow-green cones ripen to brown, can be ground up and smell similar to orange peels.  It is also a source of Alsatian turpentine oil, which is used medicinally for respiratory treatments.

Zones 5-9