Woody > Abies > Abies firma > Abies firma
Abies firma
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Abies |
| Species |
| firma |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 6a - 9b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5a - 6a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-23.2) - (-17.8) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-10) - 0 |
| Height |
| 12 - 50 m |
| Spread |
| 9 - 12 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A medium to large-sized evergreen tree that can reach mature heights of 50 m. Abies firma holds a crown of straight branches that tilt upwards at approximately 20 degrees. |
| Landscape |
| Winter interest, woodlands, privacy screen, accent, shade, specimen, and aromatic properties. |
| Cultivation |
| Plant in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils in full sun. |
| Shape |
| Broadly pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Comb like needles with medium to large upright cones. |
| Pests |
| This species is reportedly immune to balsam woolly adelgid and resistant to root rot. However, there is potential for bark beetle or spruce budworm. |
| Habitat |
| Full sun, well-drained soils, neutral pH in a coastal region. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is brown with a scale texture. On young bark, there will be resin blisters. With age, the bark becomes more furrowed and corky. |
| Leaf Description |
| A. firma has approximately 5 to 6 cm long lush green needles. Needles are strongly two-ranked, appearing like a double-sided comb and are deeply notched. |
| Fruit Description |
| A. firma flowers from April to May; the fruit first appears almost neon green, turning from yellow to green to grey, and eventually turning brown with maturity. Fruit is an oblong shape, approximately 7 to 16 cm in length. |
| Colour Description |
| A. firma has lush green needles and greyish-brown bark. |
| Texture Description |
| Mature specimen bark is scaly and fissured, while young specimens bear smoother bark accompanied by resin blisters. |
| Propagation |
| Sow seeds in late winter or in spring outdoors. Germination takes approximately 6-8 weeks. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| The wood from this tree is harvested to construct coffins in Japan. In Japanese culture, the wood's uniformity and bright colour are appealing. Additionally, A. firma is used in Bonsai practices and as Christmas trees in North America. |
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