Woody > Abies > Abies spectabilis > Abies spectabilis
Abies spectabilis
Himalayan Fir
Origin: Afghanistan, China, India, and Nepal.
Mike's
Opinion
"
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Abies |
| Species |
| spectabilis |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 6b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -15 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 5 |
| Height |
| 20 m |
| Spread |
| 10 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Large tree with rigid bark and unique black cones. |
| Cultivation |
| A high altitude plant that prefers moist but not saturated soils, it is not pollution tolerant. |
| Shape |
| Slightly rounded, pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Rugged, greyish-black bark. |
| Pests |
| Pine caterpillar, causing defoliation of the tree and is a problematic pest in forestry plantations. |
| Habitat |
| Mt. Everest region of China and Nepal, into Afghanistan. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Rough and scaly, a lighter brown in its youth darkening to a blackish grey as it matures. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Small blunt brown buds, 2 - 3 cm. |
| Leaf Description |
| 3 - 7 cm long with a lighter underside. |
| Flower Description |
| Small, brown, clusters of three, 2 - 6 cm. |
| Fruit Description |
| Held in an upright position on the tops of branches, young fruit a purplish colour and approximately 10 - 20 cm in length. |
| Colour Description |
| Dark green leaves, blackish grey bark and black cones. |
| Propagation |
| Seed stratification is beneficial, germination takes 6 - 8 weeks. |
References
Sheat, Wilfrid G. "Propagation of trees, shrubs and conifers" (1948).
Nie, Ze-Long, et al. "Polyploidy in the flora of the Hengduan mountains hotspot, southwestern China." Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden (2005): 275-306.
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