Abies concolor 'Sherwood'
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BLUE FIR
Family: Pinaceae
Pronounced: AY-beez KON-kul-er
GROWING GUIDE
Geographic Origin:
Garden.
Plant Group:
Conifers.
Hardiness:
Sunset zones: A2, A3; 1-9, 14-24.
USDA zones: 3-7.
Heat zones: 7-1.
Mature size:
Height: 100+ feet (35+ m).
Width: 15-22 (5-7 m).
Cone attributes:
Three to five inches, green ripening to brown, cylindrical cones tapering to apex.
Needle attributes:
1½-2½ inch long needles that point upward and forward along the shoots.
Growth habit:
Pyramidal.
Light:
Full sun.
Soil:
Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
Propagation Methods:
Graft cultivars in winter.
Pests and Diseases:
Well-drained soil is a must to help prevent root rot. Some pests that could be problems are adelgids, bark beetles, bagworms, woolly aphids, and spruce budworms. Rust may also be a problem.
Rainy Side Notes
This is such a beautiful blue conifer, and not well known yet, so it may be hard to find at the time of this writing. Beautiful blue needles on a large true fir, this conifer grows exceptionally well in the Pacific Northwest. This is a better choice for our maritime climate than Colorado blue spruce. The taller Colorado blue spruce become, the uglier they are. You know CBS, the blue conifer I am talking about? It's blue and usually has a lot of brown dead needles or even branches in the middle? Yes, that's the one.
If you insist on planting a CBS, chop it down when it reaches 6 feet tall and use it as a designer-blue Christmas tree. If it grows much past this point, it is all down hill from there. Better yet, choose Abies concolor 'Sherwood Blue' and watch it grow into the envy of the neighborhood. Is there such a thing as "tree envy"?
Debra Teachout-Teashon
Photographed at Cloud Mountain Nursery in Whatcom County, Washington.
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