Abies nordmanniana aka Caucasian Fir

Nordmann fir, Abies nordmanniana, is an evergreen conifer in the pine family, Pinaceae. Gardeners also call it Caucasian fir or Turkish fir. It grows wild in the mountains of northern Turkey and the western Caucasus. Some sources extend its range to northern Iran. In the wild it lives at roughly 3,000 to 7,200 feet (900 to 2,200 metres), where rainfall is high. A Finnish biologist, Alexander von Nordmann, found the tree in 1836, and the species name honours him.

In gardens this fir reaches 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 metres) tall. It spreads 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 7.5 metres). Wild trees can top 200 feet (61 metres). The crown is dense and pyramidal, and branches often sweep down to the ground. It casts deep shade. Sources disagree on speed: some call growth slow, others medium or fast.

The needles are flat, glossy and almost black-green on top. Two white stomatal bands run along the underside. Each needle is about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches (2 to 4 cm) long, with a blunt or notched tip. They crowd thickly on the shoots and hold well. Buds are conical and carry little or no resin. Young bark is smooth and grey, dotted with resin blisters. With great age it breaks into small plates and then furrows. The tree has no true flowers. It bears separate male and female cones on the same plant. Female cones stand upright near the top of the crown. They ripen into reddish-brown cylinders 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) long. The scales fall away on the tree to release winged seeds.

This fir likes full sun to part shade and rich, acidic, well-drained soil that stays moist. It does poorly in heavy clay and dislikes hot, dry or humid summers. It is cold hardy, rated H7 in the UK and to USDA zone 4. Growers rate it among the easier firs, and it moves well when transplanted. It needs no pruning. It will not tolerate urban pollution or harsh sites.

Nordmann fir is a leading Christmas tree. Buyers value its shape and its needles, which stay on longer than most. In the landscape it makes a fine specimen or screen for parks and large gardens. It holds a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. Its timber is light, soft and not durable, but people use it for building and paper pulp. A few cultivars exist, mostly for dwarf conifer collections.

Serious problems are rare. Possible pests include balsam woolly adelgids, aphids, bark beetles, spruce budworms, bagworms and scale. Spider mites can appear in hot weather. Diseases include cankers, heart rot, root rot, needle rust, twig blight and honey fungus. Deer often browse it. No edible or medicinal uses and no known hazards appear in the sources.