| General Description | A large, evergreen tree with thin, flat needle-like foliage, dark green on top, with a bluish-white pigment on the underside. Branches come out from the trees at a 90° angle, the bark is rigid and scaly in mature specimens and the female cones are a deep purple colour. |
| ID Characteristic | Female cones are deep purple to almost navy blue colour. |
| Shape | Very tall, columnar to fastigiate in form. |
| Landscape | With its columnar form, it may be considered ideal for placement along buildings. |
| Propagation | Propagate from seed which should be sown in the late stages of spring. Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours, followed by a cold stratification period of least 30 days. At 5°C sow the seeds thinly and plant .5 cm deep in the soil. Young Abies are especially sensitive to light, so proper shade is absolutely necessary for the first 3-5 years. |
| Cultivation | Requires full sun and thrives in moist, alkaline, rich, well-drained soils. |
| Pests | No significant pests or diseases. |
| Notable Specimens | University of British Columbia Botanical Garden, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. |
| Habitat | Mountainsides, native to China. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Bark is light grey in colour, fine and flakey when young becoming brown, course and rigid as it matures. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Buds are broad, oval-shaped and can be quite rigid. Purplish-red in colour and are quite resinous, 6-8 mm long and 4-5 mm wide. The bud scales are triangular, yellow to almost brown in colour and often persist for several years. |
| Leaf Description | Leaves are opposite in arrangement, very flat, thin and relatively soft to touch. They are 2-2.5 mm wide and can vary dramatically in length usually between 10-35 mm long. A deep green colour on top and a blue on the underside. |
| Flower Description | Flowers are small and insignificant. |
| Fruit Description | Male cones are tubular, 13 mm long and roughly 5 mm wide. The more recognizable and dominate cones are female. The female cones are about 50 mm long and 30-40 mm wide, very broad and obtuse in shape. When young they are a very deep shade of purple with hues of blue, and mature to a more purple-red tone. The black coloured seeds are elongated, 3-3.5 mm wide and up to 15 mm long. |
| Colour Description | Foliage is a very dark shade of green, female cones are an eye-catching shade of deep purple. |
| Texture Description | Medium. |
