Abies procera
The Noble Fir is a typical fir with branches diverging from the trunk at right angles giving a typical ‘Christmas Tree’ look. The leaves are up to 3.5cm long by 1.5cn wide. The cones are very large, cylindrical in shape, green initially, they brown at maturity. They are between 16 -25 cm in length. The winged seeds are reddish brown. The tallest recorded is 89.9m high. In terms of height and bulk the Noble Fir is the largest fir species.
The species is found native to the North West of the United State but in recent years it has become familiar to many Irish families as a top of the range Christmas tree due to the excellent shape and foliage of young trees.
Non-native to Ireland the Noble Fir was introduced around 1830 and grows very well in our maritime climate.
Nordman Fir
Abies nordmanniana
The Nordman fir is native to the mountains west and east of the Black Sea. It’s known for its triangular bushy shape, dark green colour and excellent sent. It has light green foliage and underneath each foliage is a lovely shiny silver colour.
The Nordman Fir is becoming increasingly popular among the Irish families. They are also light to handle making it easier to transport and erect.
