Spanish fir

Synonym: pinsapo fir

Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo Boiss.) – a species of coniferous tree of the genus Abies in the family Pinaceae. The species was first described by the Swiss botanist Pierre Edmond Boissier in 1838 in his work «Biblioth. Universelle Genève 13: 402, 406.». In nature it is found in southern Spain in the province of Málaga, in the Cordillera Bética mountains. It ascends to altitudes of 900—2000 m above sea level. In Morocco it grows in the Mediterranean humid bioclimatic zone. It is usually found on the northern parts of dolomitic limestone slopes of mountain ranges. At 1400-1800 m above sea level it forms mixed forests with oaks and maples. At 1800-2000 m above sea level it grows with Atlas cedar, European black pine, and maritime pine.

It is an evergreen coniferous tree 25-30 m in height and up to 150 cm in diameter. The trunk is usually straight, covered with smooth, dark gray bark that becomes fissured with age, coarse and rough. Buds are rounded, 5 × 4 mm. Needles 6-20 × 2-3 mm, stiff, with blunt or sharp tips, from dark green to grayish-green, are arranged evenly around the shoots.

The foliage is distributed evenly around the shoot, which sharply distinguishes it from other fir species; needles remain on the tree for up to 13 years.

Male cones are ovoid-round, dark purple, 5-7 mm long. They appear in April. Female cones are on short peduncles, cylindrical, erect, with blunt tips, 9-16 × 3-5 cm, greenish-purple, becoming brown after ripening. Seeds are obovoid, 6-10 mm long, light brown. Seed wings are light brown, twice as long as the seed. Weight of 100 seeds = 50 g. It flowers in April-May. Cones ripen in September-October.

Forms: f. fastigiata hort., f. pyramidata hort., f. pendula Beissn., f. glauca Carr., f. argentea Beissn., f. variegata hort., 'Horstmann', 'Kelleriis', 'Kelleriis'.

Hardiness zone: zone 6a (-23°C).

Exposure: Light-loving, wind-tolerant. Not demanding with respect to moisture.

Soil: Not demanding regarding soil – can grow on sandy soils or on dry limestone.

Planting: In alleys, spacing between plants 4 - 5 m; in loose groups 3 - 3.5 m; in dense groups up to 2.5 m. Planting time: spring - April, autumn - late August - September. Seedlings aged 5 to 10 years establish best.

Care: 2-3 years after planting it is advisable to apply "Kemira Universal" 150 g/m2 in spring. Loosening and mulching are mandatory in young plantings to a depth of 25 - 30 cm, together with weed removal. Mulch with sawdust, wood chips or peat in a layer of 5 - 8 cm around the root circles of young plants. Remove dead branches in spring. Crown shaping, if necessary, is carried out only in early spring before sap flow. Cultivars of the subalpine fir in youth can be shaped by pruning shoots damaged by late spring frosts at the end of May to give the plant a more compact form.

Propagation: by seeds, which are collected at the beginning of cone ripening. Sowing is done in autumn, or in spring after 30-40 days of stratification or exposure to snow. Under usual conditions seeds are stored for up to one year. It is also possible to propagate by one-year cuttings with the apical bud. Cuttings develop roots only after 8—9 months. The crown forms naturally. Growth is slow in the first decade, then accelerates and continues into great age. Branches that come into contact with the ground root and produce layers.

Diseases and pests: practically not affected.

Uses: a highly ornamental species – widely used in decorative landscaping. It looks impressive as a solitary planting on a lawn, as well as in group plantings with other trees with different foliage colors.