Woody > Abies > Abies pinsapo > Abies pinsapo
Abies pinsapo
Spanish Fir
Origin: As the common name suggests it originated in southern Spain and was introduced to Britain in 1839.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A good tree to use as a screen for privacy. Better suited for a less busy residential area or even better a country property. Great for planting in groups, in rows or a vista; one of the best Firs available in my opinion.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pineaceae |
| Genus |
| Abies |
| Species |
| pinsapo |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 6a - 7b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5a - 7b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -23 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -10 |
| Height |
| 20 - 30 m |
| Spread |
| 5 - 7 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A medium-sized evergreen that can be 20 - 30 m tall with a green or silvery blue colour to it. In its native range, it grows on mountain terrain in cooler climates. Normally it is a pyramidal shape but in exposed areas can become irregular in form. |
| Landscape |
| At an early age they can be used as Christmas trees. They excel in cooler climates. Good for group plantings around buildings for screening purposes or specimen use. |
| Cultivation |
| Requires well-drained, moist and acidic soils. Grows well in cooler temperatures. Not recommended for city planting because they are not tolerant of air pollution. Pruning should be kept to a minimum. When older branches are removed it is rare for new growth to emerge. |
| Shape |
| Pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Needles have a radial arrangement on the stem. Usually has a round trunk with a deep crown. Branches are long and ascend in the upper crown and curve in the lower. |
| Pests |
| Notable pests and diseases are needle/twig blight, leaf casts, rusts cankers, shoestring root rot, wood decay, balsam twig aphid, bagworm caterpillars, spruce spider mite, and scales. |
| Habitat |
| Grows well in mountain and forested terrain; it is quite rare. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is smooth and grey, as it ages it becomes longitudinally fissured as well as rough and scaly. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Very resinous, globose buds. Buds can be 4 - 5 mm in length and are triangular with red-brown scales. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are spirally arranged, spreading radially and perpendicular to the branchlet. Leaves can be green or blue-silver and have a rigid, obtuse or acute apex. |
| Flower Description |
| Male flowers are large and red. Female flowers are smaller than the males and they are a pale green. |
| Fruit Description |
| Cones are 5 - 7 mm long, they are yellow with red or purple microsporophylls. There are lateral pollen cones that crown the branchlets. |
| Colour Description |
| Foliage is green or silvery blue, purple cones with red and green flowers and grey coloured bark. |
| Texture Description |
| Bark starts off smooth but gets rougher and scalier with age. Branches are stout and quite stiff. Foliage is coarse and sharp. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, Australia. Christchurch Botanical Garden, Christchurch, New Zealand. Niagara Parks Botanic Garden, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Seed is the main option for propagation. Seed are stratified under cool moist conditions at 5 – 7°C for approximately 14 - 28 days. Cuttings have been rooted but the success rate is not high and on a commercial level this method is not practical. |
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