Woody > Abies > Abies fargesii > Abies fargesii
Abies fargesii
Farge's Fir
Origin: China.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A evergreen tree native to China and may be considered an invasive species since it dominates nearly 50% of some forests. It is similar to most other trees in its genus but this particular species has especially interesting cones that are dark purple. It thrives in rich, well-drained soils and full sun exposure.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Abies |
| Species |
| fargesii |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 6b - Requires cool season protection under glass. |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H3 - H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -18 - (-1) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 0 - 30 |
| Height |
| 15 m |
| Spread |
| 4 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| 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. |
| Landscape |
| With its columnar form, it may be considered ideal for placement along buildings. |
| Cultivation |
| Requires full sun and thrives in moist, alkaline, rich, well-drained soils. |
| Shape |
| Very tall, columnar to fastigiate in form. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Female cones are deep purple to almost navy blue colour. |
| Pests |
| No significant pests or diseases. |
| 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. |
| Notable Specimens |
| University of British Columbia Botanical Garden, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. |
| 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. |
References
Warren, Richard, and Ethan W. Johnson. "A Guide to the Firs (Abies Spp.) of the Arnold Arboretum." (n.d.): n. pag. Web
Bigrass, Francine J., and Stephen J. Colombo. Conifer Cold Hardiness. Netherlands: Kluwer Academic, 2001. Print.
top