(European Silver Fir, Silver Fir)

A densely needled ornamental conifer, the European silver fir selection 'Pyramidalis' has deep green needles with a silvery underside. It was found as a sport on a silver fir growing in England in 1851. Native to southern Europe's mountains, from the Pyrennes eastward across the Alps and into the Caucusus, its shape lends it to more ornate uses in park and garden settings than the parent species. The smooth gray bark will eventually crack into plates.

The branches often grow upwards at an angle...

(Nordman Fir)

Nordman fir is a striking evergreen tree that originates from Asia Minor along the southern reaches of the Black Sea. It has an elegant, columnar form with horizontally tiered branches that reach down to the ground. Branches are covered with dense, lustrous, dark green (with a hint of black) needles that are soft to the touch when grasped. The female cones are quite large and narrow, becoming reddish brown when ripe and are displayed in the upper third of the needled canopy. The bark is grayish...

(Nordman Fir)

Nordman fir is a striking evergreen tree that originates from Asia Minor along the southern reaches of the Black Sea. It has an elegant, columnar form with horizontally tiered branches that reach down to the ground. Branches are covered with dense, lustrous, dark green (with a hint of black) needles that are soft to the touch when grasped. The female cones are quite large and narrow, becoming reddish brown when ripe and are displayed in the upper third of the needled canopy. The bark is grayish...

(Nordman Fir)

Nordman fir is a striking evergreen tree that originates from Asia Minor along the southern reaches of the Black Sea. It has an elegant, columnar form with horizontally tiered branches that reach down to the ground. Branches are covered with dense, lustrous, dark green (with a hint of black) needles that are soft to the touch when grasped. The female cones are quite large and narrow, becoming reddish brown when ripe and are displayed in the upper third of the needled canopy. The bark is grayish...

(Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Barney Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Franke Turkish Fir, Turkish Fir)

The Turkish fir is every bit like a Nordman fir except it doesn't mature nearly as large and has a greater tolerance to alkaline soils. Turkish fir grows naturally at high elevations in the mountains from roughly Athens, Greece to Istanbul, Turkey and the adjacent Bithynia region. Turkish fir essentially is an isolated population of Nordman firs that evolved and survived on cooler, northern-facing slopes in the region.

Turkish fir has an upright, narrow and columnar form with a partially rounded...

(Bear's Breeches, Summer Beauty Bear's Breeches)

The tall and stately Acanthus ‘Summer Beauty’ is a hybrid bear’s breeches that is tolerant of summer heat, if given regular moisture. Huge, glossy, semi-evergreen, lobed leaves with spines on the margins form a large, mounded rosette. Its tall flower stalks appear in late spring through midsummer with an abundance of widely-spaced, snapdragon-like blooms that are white with purple calyces (outer flower cover). The blooms are highly attractive to bees.

Acanthus prefers full to partial...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Oyster Plant)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...

(Bank Ursine, Bear's Breeches, Hollard's Gold Bear's Breeches)

This interesting Old World perennial has a coarse upright habit that adds texture to sunny gardens. Bear's breeches is quite hardy and summer-blooming. It is native to regions in southwestern Europe, though it has been in cultivation for a long time.

The long, sharply lobed, coarse leaves of bear’s breeches are deep green and form large, showy rosettes. In summer, tall, upright spikes of two-lipped, tubular maroon and white flowers are produced. Once spent, the old blooms should be cut back to...