Fir Colorado seeds

Colorado fir / Abies concolor

Powerful (trunk diameter up to 1.9 meters), tall (up to 60 meters) tree with a wide conical crown, dense in youth and relatively rare and drooping in old age; sharp spire-shaped top (in older trees it becomes flatter). At the age of 30 it reaches 10-12 m in height.

Wide-pyramidal, large, with a regular conical crown. Skeletal branches are located at right angles to the trunk, prone to sagging with age. The branching branches are small, smooth, with yellowish pubescence, usually directed upwards.

Flat, green or bluish-green needles, with grayish-white lines on both sides, often sickle-curved, rounded or blunt-pointed at the apex, with a slightly expanded base, asymmetrically located. They have a pungent odor reminiscent of camphor.

Cones are large, sessile, oval-cylindrical, 7-12 cm long, 3-4.5 cm wide; olive-green at the beginning of maturation, then become yellow-brown and dark brown.

In terms of drought resistance, single-color fir is one of the first places among firs, tolerates not very frosty winters, is relatively wind-resistant, due to late bud break it is not damaged by spring frosts, is very photophilous, tolerates urban conditions and adverse environmental factors well.

Grows well in fresh deep sandy loam and loam, but can grow in other types of soil, preferring a slightly acidic environment; required pH range: 5.5-7.8. Sensitive to soil salinity. Young fir seedlings can grow in shady conditions, but in full sunlight they develop much better.

Perfect decoration for gardens and parks. The high decorative qualities of single-colored fir are best manifested when standing alone and in loose, small groups. Single and group plantings benefit greatly if they are located against the background of larches, especially in autumn, when their needles turn yellow, and the bluish tint of fir becomes the brightest.