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Jesse Saylor
Pinaceae
Abies alba 'Pyramidalis'
European Silver Fir, Silver Fir
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
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 from the main trunk. The tree looks like a column and first, then becoming more like a thin cone in shape. Needles growing in shade are held out horizontally on the twigs, while those in direct sunlight are held erect. Glossy dark green, the needle undersides are a marked gray or silver. The smaller male cones are pinkish blue-violet while the large, cylinder-like female cones are yellow-green before ripening to sienna.
Grow 'Pyramidalis' in full sun to partial shade in a non-alkaline soil that is fertile, moist and well-draining. Protect from hot summer winds and intense afternoon sunlight in regions with hot summers. It makes a lovely upright accent for screening or clustering groves across a property. It has been used frequently on university campuses, historic parks and in cemeteries.
7 - 4
5 - 8
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Needled or Scaled Evergreen
Full Sun, Partial Sun
45'-65' / 13.7m - 19.8m
12'-20' / 3.7m - 6.1m
Europe, Southern Europe
Neutral, Alkaline
Average
Clay, Loam
Medium
Drought Tolerant
Pyramidal
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Insignificant
Yellow Green, Pink, Lavender
Green, Dark Green
Gray, Slate Gray
No
Yes
Fine
Matte
Smooth
Feature Plant
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