Abies amabalis/fraseri/other less common firs Photo Gallery 2010

13 years ago

Not too many of these nice firs in my gardens, always seeking new ones. Please feel free to add any unusual fir cultivars(or non cultivars if you'd prefer) to this gallery.

I have almost zero knowledge in the many different species here or the cultivars so any assistance provided is greatly appreciated(and soaked up like a sponge!).

Let's give this a shot:

Abies amabalis 'Hoyt's HB'. Nice color anyways! :)

Abies chensiensis 'Prostrata Glauca'. Wonderful plant, can't wait to see what it does. Purple pollen cones to boot!

Abies amabalis 'Spreading Star'. Sure living up to it's name so far, rapid lateral growth and zero sign of a leader.

Abies firma 'Halgren'. No clue.

Abies nebrodensis X Umbellata (none cultivar I believe)

Abies fraseri 'Blue Bonnet'. Wonderful blue color, even in part-shade.

Abies delvayi 'Nana Herdford'??

Abies vejari, rare from the mountains of Mexico. If I could only plant one fir, this wouldn't be it, but it'd be amongst the top challengers! Wonderful colors, all year and eventually produces great looking, large cones. Great tree!

Closeup. The needles become almost turquoise by Autumn.

Thanks for any help or notes! :)

-Will

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Comments (15)

coniferjoy
13 years ago
Will, great but difficult tread...
It's Abies amabilis instead of Abies amabalis...
The 'Hoyt W.B.' isn't a cultivar of Abies amabilis but from Abies lasiocarpa.

Abies amabilis 'Spreading Star' is a true flat growing cultivar.
It's a selection from the Blijdenstein Pinetum from Holland, probably propagated as a side branch graft.
Another name for this cultivar is 'Procumbens'
This is the one in my collection.
Abies amabilis 'Spreading Star'

The species Abies amabilis are also very beautifull in my opinion.
Abies amabilis

Abies nebrodensis x umbellata must be written as Abies x umbellata.
This is a cross between Abies firma x Abies homolepis.

Abies delvayi 'Nana Herdford'
Abies delvayi must be written as Abies delavayi.
This selection isn't a cultivar of Abies delavayi but from Abies fargesii.
'Nana Herdford' must be 'Nana Headford' but the nana part can't be involved because this selection is from 1964 wich is after 1959.
The true name is Abies fargesii 'Headford'.
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
LOL... Wow I mean, wow. This guy is like a walking-encylopedia of knowledge in the conifer hobby almost unrivaled. Your contributions here are tremendous Edwin and I'm very glad to know you, Thanks! :)

-Will
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clement_2006
13 years ago
Will,
Your Abies chensiensis "Prostrata Glauca" are very doubtfull like your Abies amabilis "Spreading Star"

Abies amabilis foliage, typical of mature plant.

Abies chensiensis foliage, very diferent of your plant !
According to Edwin Abies amabilis "Hoyt" are well Abies lasiocarpa. W.B. ???? very fast.
ClÃ©ment
Embothrium
13 years ago
Amabilis means lovable, amiable or pleasing.
coniferjoy
13 years ago
You're right ClÃ©ment, I also think that the Abies lasiocarpa 'Hoyt W.B. isn't a true witches'broom.
I even don't understand how it's possible that the founder of this variety mentioned it under Abies amabilis while it doesn't have anything to do with this species. However I would like it very much to see a true witches'broom of an Abies amabilis, I never came acros one...
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
A few more.

This I need help ID'ing. Abies amabilis 'Spreading Star'?

Abies fraseri 'Prostrata'. Neat plant.

Cones.

-Will
nikkie_in_toronto
13 years ago
Will, I first want to say that, as a lurker on the forum, your pics are just great. Beautiful job! I just have a question. Would you or anyone else know the cold hardiness of Abies vejari? I was interested in regards to its ability to survive in zone 6 off Lake Erie.
coniferjoy
13 years ago
Will, in my opinion your green prostrate one is an Abies alba 'Pendula', but I'm not completely sure.
If it is, you have to stake it.
tunilla
13 years ago
Abies amabilis 'Spreading Star' was given an award of merit at the Courson plantshow (south of Paris) this spring.The nursery presenting the plant had several nice specimens for sale, and I must say I was very tempted to buy one. Alas,no one could really give me much information about it's cultural likes and dislikes, so I gave it a miss. Was I being foolish or wise, given my unpredictable sub-alpine/ sub- Mediteranean climate ?
Abies spp. that (so far) do well over here include:
pinsapo
lasiocarpa
procera
numidica
balsamea (cv 'Prostrata') in full sun, but scorching
somewhat during great heatwaves.

Thanks for your comments on this subject. T.
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
That's actually a great guess Edwin, I'll tentatively lable it as such.

Some others hiding here and there in my garden.

Abies homolepsis 'Prostrata'. No info, love the needles.

Abies cephalonica 'Meyer's Dwarf'. Fairly common, was one of the first plants into my center island two years ago. Seems OK with part shade and some crowding!
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
Abies numidica 'Pendula'. Young plant acquired from Porterhowse. Sits next to many of my other pendulous plants above a six foot rock wall. Should be fun.

Abies numidica 'Select'. A great looking tree, similar to Abies pinsapo with stiff, upright needles. It also has a wonderful silvery cast and I can't wait to see the cones! This specimen was surely grafted from a side-branch cut and doesn't know yet to go up!

At times, like most collectors I assume, I wish I had several acres to plant all the various wonderful, full-sized specimens. Fortunately I am close to an enormous botanical garden(which will gladly accept transplants) and I am slowly 'acquiring' neighborhood property as I run out of space. The neighbors, for the most part, are very willing to 'volunteer' their property to new conifer plantings - and all I have to do is the work - they pay for the plants and supplies.

Nothing like driving to your house and admiring all your hard work and the plants you've helped spread around.

-Will
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
Abies bornmuelleriana 'Franke'
firefightergardener
Original Author
13 years ago
Bumping this up with a couple new photos.

First a new little guy:

Abies delavayi 'Buchanan'

Abies grandis 'Van Dedem's Dwarf'

And a new photo of the plant with contended name:
Abies chensiensis 'Glauca Prostrata'.

I'll yield to the knowledge of Edwin or Clement here.

-Will
clement_2006
13 years ago
No certainly not Abies chensiensis.
Abies grandis "Van Bedem's Dwarf" are more veitchii than grandis, but maybe it's a hybrid brtween veitchii and grandis because he smell like grandis.

My plant, Abies veitchii/grandis (?) "Van Bedem's DWARF"
I like Dwarf !!

More investigation are neccesary.
ClÃ©ment
coniferjoy
13 years ago
ClÃ©ment, a little wile ago we discussed this Abies grandis 'Van Dedem's Dwarf' (not 'Van Bedem's Dwarf').
We always thought that this one wasn't an Abies grandis cultivar, but an Abies veitchii cultivar.
Then the crushed needles smell told us that Abies grandis is involved.
For me it's a cross between Abies grandis and Abies veitchii now.
The thing is that this variety was found in an Abies grandis Christmas tree field as a dwarf at that time.
When propagated by grafting, soner or later a leader will appear and the "Dwarf" is gone...
The founder of this variety is the Dutchman Tom de Lange.
This is the reason why it's also availlable under the name Abies grandis 'De Lange'.