Abies selections

(We 'Mail-Order' through-out New Zealand.)

Updated 01-2-2010

These include a range of species and selections of the Fir Trees.

            Abies amabilis - Red Fir.   Also known as the Beautiful Fir. Native of South Alaska to West Oregon. Likes cool, wet forest conditions. Thrives in deep, moist well drained acid soils with plenty of humus. Furnished to the ground with branches. Striking silvery whiteness on undersides of leaves. A large tree in time. Conical, narrow habit. 1 metre high and wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden.  Zone 6.

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           Abies amabilis x arnoldiana- .   Also known as the Beautiful Fir. Native of South Alaska to West Oregon. Likes cool, wet forest conditions. Thrives in deep, moist well drained acid soils with plenty of humus. Furnished to the ground with branches. Striking silvery whiteness on undersides of leaves. A large tree in time. Conical, narrow habit. 1 metre high and wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden.  Zone 6.

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Abies balsamea - Balsam Fir. A splendid tree. Usually found on North American mountains and or swampy areas. Conical.   4 metres high x 2 metres wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden. Zone 3.

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Abies balsamea 'Argentea' seedlings.   We are trialing these.   A clear description for these is as a typical Abies but with very creamy white foliage.   (Yes it does look a sickly pale but the plant does seem to perform well.   Our belief is that it be given a free draining site preferably with a cool root run in the early years.   We have not planted one yet so a 10 year growth rate is some years away.

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Abies balsamea 'Tyler Blue' seedlings.   We are trialing these.   A clear description for these is not available but the undersides of these seedlings is very blue.   We have not made any selections yet but will do so.   Any spare seedlings are for sale.   A 10 year growth rate is some years away.

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Abies x borisii-regis - Bulgarian Fir. King Boris Fir. (syn. A. alba var. acutifolia) From Mountains of Bulgaria, Macedonia and Greece and on higher mountains including Mt. Olympus at altitudes of 500 to 1000 metres up to 1,800 metres.   Rare.  Maybe in a few collections. Variously treated as a hybrid or species. Seldom recognized when seen. Vigorous - moderate in height, rapid in girth. Rugged, broadly conic, with domed top. Tree to 25 metres in native habitat. Zone 6.

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Abies cephalonica var. graeca.    Apollo Fir.  Native of  Mount Parnassus in southern Greece. at altitudes from 700 to 2000 metres.  Usually known as var. apollinis in U.K..  More densely set than the species.  With needles more blunt.   Some consider it not to be different from the species.  sub-alpine.   Zone 6.

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   Abies chensiensis var. ernestii -  A widely distributed form.

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Abies cilicica - Cilician Fir. Native of Turkey, Cilician Taurus and the mountains of Lebanon. Best in moist sheltered position. In the wild soils mainly calcareous with hot dry summers and mild rainy winters. A large tree in time. The Tallest of the Chinese Firs. 4 metres high x 2 metres wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden. Zone 6. 

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Abies concolor - Colorado Fir, White Fir. Native of Western U.S.A. & Northern Mexico growing at varying altitudes from 620 metres to 2,350 metres.   Has outstanding tolerance to hot dry conditions. Recommended as one of the finest conifers for ornamental planting.   Thrives on fairly deep, rich, moist loam and also on coarse soils from granite. A very beautiful tree with a massive straight trunk.   Found to be unsuitable on some sites where rain falls at regular intervals during the hottest part of the summer.   The best site we found after many trials was cool shaded root run.  i.e. morning sun only or a south facing hillside.   Can grow to 80 metres in natural habitat. Growth approx. 30 cm per annum.   3.5 metres high x 1.5 metres wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden. Zone 3.

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 Abies concolor  var. lowiana - Low's Fir. Native of the Siskiyou Mountains of South Oregon and the coast ranges of California. This plant has had a name change.   It is now known as Abies lowiana.

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                         Abies delavayi - Delavay Fir. Native of China.   Has the greatest range of any fir in South West China.   One of the finest firs and very attractive when coning at an early age.   It is really a high mountain fir where it sustains a long cold winter i.e. long snow cover and a short, cool moist growing season.  Plant on south facing slopes.  Regularly conical.  Height in native habitat approx. 21 metres.    Zone 7.   We planted one in our Nursery/Garden in 2002. Size 65 cm high x 70 cm wide 2 years from planting.  It is looking good having come through 3 months drought without any water during our summer.  Growth rate will follow each season.  

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Abies equi-trojani - Trojan Fir.   Native to the Ida Mountains, Asia Minor.   Resembles A. x bornmuelleriana.   Intermediate between A. cephalonica & A. nordmanniana.   Rare in cultivation but should perform similar to the Caucasian Fir.   Tall.   75 cm high x 90 cm wide in 2 years in our Nursery/Garden.    Zone 6.

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Abies ernestii var. salouenensis - See Abies chensiensis var. salouenensis

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Abies fabri - Faber fir.   Native of a small area in West Sichuan province of China.   Rare in cultivation but quite hardy.   Sometimes included with Delavay fir. Comes from a region with high summer rainfall.   Tree to 15 metres in native habitat.   50 cm high x 50 cm wide in 1 year from planting in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 6.

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Abies fargesii - Farges Fir.    Native of China.   One of the choicest species.  Branch ends turning erect and displaying the silvery undersides of the needles.   One of the most attractive, hardy & easily cultivated Chinese Firs.  Thrives best in cool, damp parts of the country.  A tree 15- 40 metres at maturity.  Buds purple.  Bark buff-brown.   Zone 5-6

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Abies forrestii - Forrest Fir.   Native of Northwest Yunnan & South East Tibet.  Named after George Forrest.   Areas considerably dryer than that where the A. delavayii grows.   It has a conical crown.   Can tolerate chalky soils.  A very attractive fir. Zone 6.

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Abies georgei - Native of Yunnan & /or Tibet. Maybe also known as Abies forresti var. smithii or Abies delavayii var. georgei. Worth mentioning is that this fir is hardy and attractive. Zone 8

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           Abies grandis - Grand Fir.  Native to the West of U.S.A. generally from near sea level to 1,800 metres.   Does not like the salt laden winds of the N.Z. coast.   The dark glossy green leaves are tipped in spring with lush light green growth making it most beautiful.   Will grow on a variety of sites but best in moist deep soil. Intolerant of shade.   Tallest of the firs, reaching 60 metres in good conditions.   Zone 2.

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Abies guatemalensis var. tamaulipensis:   Guatemalan Fir.   (syn. Abies tamaulipensis)   A most southerly occurring species of fir coming from Mexico & Honduras  Mountains, up to an altitude of 4000 metres.   Needles mid green.   Tree conical & fast growing fully clothed to the ground - a good conical shape & up to 35 metres high.   5 metres high x 3 metres wide in 7 years in our nursery/garden.  Zone 9  

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Abies holophylla - Manchurian fir.   Native of Manchuria and Korea.   One of the most characteristic trees at low altitudes.   Grows in valleys on deep humus soils.   Deserves to be more widely planted.   One of the best of the smaller Abies. Growth slow at first then quite rapid.  Tree 15 metres high in native habitat.   Zone 5 .

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Abies koreana  (Blue Needles)  - Korean Fir.   please enquire

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Abies koreana 'Luminetta' -  A slow-growing, small tree with golden-yellow needles. Suitable for small gardens. Especially attractive in winter when the colour is more intense. 

Abies koreana 'Horstman's Silberlocke' - (Redundant names for Abies koreana 'Silberlocke')   Seedlings under evaluation until selections made.

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Abies  lowiana - Low's Fir.   Formally Abies concolor var. lowiana.    Native of the Siskiyou Mountains of South Oregon and the coast ranges of North California.   Likes deep, rich, moist soils.   Well drained, gravely or sandy loam.   South facing.   A very nice example in our nursery/garden.   Jade green.   Compact.   80 metres in native habitat.    2.6 metres high x 2 metres wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 3.

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Abies nebrodense - Sicilian Fir.   Native of the Palermo area of the Mountains of Northern Sicily.   Due to de-forestation, only  handful of trees are still growing on just one mountain.  In other words almost extinct in the wild.  Very very scarce.   A small tree up to 15 metres high.  No other information available.  Zone 5.  

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Abies nephrolepis - Siberian White Fir.  Native of Manchuria & South Korea.   From areas of long winters and heavy snow with short moist summers on soils derived from rocks.   Deeper moist but free-draining soils are best.   1.4 metres high x 1 metre wide in 10 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 3.

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Abies pindrow - West Himalayan Fir.   Native of West Himalayas from West Nepal through to Afghanistan and into Tibet.   Has a wider distribution than the related Abies spectabilis.  Best growth in cool and wet valleys where soil is deep and rich.   Needs plenty of rain and cool summers.   New growth susceptible to late frosts.   In some situations may benefit from high shade at first.   Tree to approx. 25 metres in native habitat.    1 metre high x 90 cm wide in 7 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Another specimen planted with double the rainfall is twice as high in the same time.   Zone 7.

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                        Abies pinsapo var. maroccana - Moroccan Fir.   Native of Mountains south of Tetual in Morocco.   Closely related to Spanish Fir.   Grows well in the western part of Mt. Rif on well drained calcareous soils often with Cedrus atlantica.   Plants are rare and not often found in cultivation.  Zone 7.

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Abies procera glauca - blue seedling of the Noble Fir.   Native of the Pacific coast of North America.   A name well suited to this majestic tree.   Thrives best in cool, moist, well drained soil.   Loves cold exposed places and poor mountain peat.   Plant on south facing aspect.   No measurements available.   Zone 5.

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Abies procera 'Glauca' (Prostrate Form) - Description same as above only plant kept low by taking out any leaders that develop.   75 cm high x 2 metres wide in 18 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 5.                                                                                             

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Abies recurvata - Min Fir.   Native of N.W. Sichuan province in China.   Only the very strong foliage has the leaves recurved back down the shoots.   Very easily recognised by its recurved foliage.   Extremely shade tolerant, able to survive under dense shade.   Rare.   Growth slow.   Tree to approx. 15 metres in Native Habitat.    Zone 6

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Abies religiosa - Sacred Fir.   From Mexico.   Young plants very vigorous. Foliage similar to Douglas Fir.   Cones dark violet-blue.   Likes good damp soil where climate suits. Occurs on soils of volcanic origin.   8 metres high x 3 metres wide at base in 7 years in our Nursery/Garden..  Zone 8.  

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Abies sibirica - Siberian Fir.   Native of a vast region of Russia.   Covers a wide range of climates.   Best on well drained soils, mostly clays of podsolic origin.   It grows in regions where the temperature may drop to -50 degrees Celsius and with a very short summer growing period.   It will be growing on perma-frost.   A tree 10 to 15 mtrs high approx. in Native Habitat.   Zone 2 to 5.

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Abies spectabilis - Himalayan Fir.   Native of Himalayas.   Has bright silver undersides of leaves.   Can stand long winters and heavy snow.   Thrives in cool damp areas facing South.   Companion conifers are Picea smithiana and Pinus wallichiana.   A magnificent and attractive tree.   Slow to start but when established grows at reasonable rate.   10 to 15 metres high approx. in Native Habitat.  Zone 6.

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Abies squamata -  Flaky Fir.    Native of a very dry region of China on the border with Tibet.   It has been found between 3000 & 4,700 metres altitude.   Very rare in cultivation.   Has amazing paper bark.   Slow to make a tree.    Has been known to tolerate both hot dry conditions in the South of Britain and the cooler north.   Zone 5.

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Abies tamaulipensis:   Now known as Abies guatemalensis var. tamaulipensis.   The Guatemalan Fir.

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Abies veitchii - Veitch Fir.   Native of the sub-alpine zone of Honshu.   The smallest of the Japanese firs.   Likes rich soils.   Beautiful and attractive when young.   Cones blue-purple.  Stands shade well.   Amongst the fastest firs in the first 5 years.   Tree approx. 10 to 15 metres high in Native Habitat.   5 metres high x 3 metres wide in 12 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 3.

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Abies vejarii - Vegar Fir.   Native of the mountains of Mexico.   Found on steep rocky slopes of mountain summits on rather poor but moist soils.   Will tolerate drought.   Crown conical or pyramidal.   Tree 10 to 15 metres approx. in Native Habitat.   Branches whorled.   8 metres high x 6 metres wide in 8 years in our Nursery/Garden.   Zone 6.

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