Abies sp.
The fir tree
The firs are evergreens which prefer cold climates (although
most species recommended for bonsai by the books are relatively
heat-tolerant.) They are pyramidal trees which usually grow to
50 ft. or taller in the wild. They resemble spruce trees
closely, the major difference being that firs have erect cones,
as opposed to spruces, whose cones hang down. The so-called
Douglas fir isn't a true fir, but a member of the genus
Peudotsuga, and is not covered here.
Sourceslicense numer for iview for information |
Species suitable for bonsai |
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Lighting:
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firs need slight shade.
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Watering:
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they prefer it slightly dry, and overwatering is much
worse than underwatering.
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Feeding:
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Feed in spring and autumn. The experts disagree on
frequency of feeding; Tomlinson recommends every two weeks, and
Resnick monthly. Firs like slightly acid soil, so the
occasional dose of Miracid is appreciated.
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Repotting:
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Firs need to be acclimated to pot culture, so they
should be planted in oversized pots and introduced into small
pots gradually. They can be transplanted in either spring or
autumn, and may need it every 2 years. Tomlinson recommends
basic soil mix, although with the fir's preference for dryness a
fast-draining soil might be worth a try.
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Styling:
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New shoots should be pinched back throughout growth.
The fir is best wired in spring. It is remarkably versatile,
and can be trained into most styles.
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Propagation:
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Seed, layering or cuttings, except for the dwarf
korean fir, Abies koreana "Compact Dwarf." Since it does not
produce cones, it must be propagated through grafting.
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Some species suitable for bonsai:
- Abies alba: silver fir -- dark green needles, cylindrical cones.
- Abies amablis: silver fir
- Abies balsamea: balsam fir, soapbubble tree -- The foliage is flat
like hemlock and yew, bright to dark green, with a white
stripe on the underside of the needles. They seem to be very
easy to transplant, collect, pinch, prod, mutilate, etc.
Almost all have nice buttress' at an early age, and they bud
back on old wood. They grow in full shade and full sun, and
in acidic to akaline soils. They seem to like being on the wet
side but don't seem to suffer when it is dry. The balsam
fir may reach 60 ft. in nature, with needles an inch long and
violet cones. A Northeastern American native, the balsam fir
thrives in zones 3-5 and cannot survive hot summers.
- Abies concolor: white fir, silver fir, Colorado fir -- hardy
to zone 4. Can grow to 80 ft. in the wild. Gray bark,
bluish-green 2 inch needles. Native to southwestern US.
- Abies firma: Momi fir, Japanese fir -- Dark green 1 1/2 inch needles.
Hardy from zones 6 to 9. Native to Japan. Grows up to 70 ft.
tall in the wild. It is one of the most heat tolerant firs.
- Abies grandis: grand fir, giant fir -- Needles are 2 1/4 inches
long, and cones are 4 inch bright green cylinders. Ranges
from Vancouver Island to California, zones 5-6, although
success in zone 8a(!) has been reported.
- Abies homolepis: Nikko fir-- Dark green, 1 inch needles. Hardy from
zones 4-7. A native of Japan, it can grow up to 80 ft. tall in
the wild. Heat-tolerant.
- Abies koreana: Korean fir -- A small fir. Dark green needles,
less than 1 inch long. Its most outstanding feature is its
brilliant violet cones.
- Abies koreana "Compact Dwarf": dwarf Korean fir -- dwarf variety; dark
green needles, no cones. Zones 5-7.
- Abies lasiocarpa: Alpine fir -- Grayish-green needles, 1 1/2 inches
long. Native to area from Alaska to Northern California.
Purple cones. Zones 5-7.
- Abies lasiocarpa arizonica: cork fir -- silver-gray needles,
corky bark.
- Abies lasiocarpa arizonica "Compacta": dwarf cork fir -- silvery
blue-gray needles, dwarf variety.
- Abies nebrodensis --Nebrodi silver fir -- Similar to A. alba,
but denser needles, smaller size. Native to the Nebrodi
Mts. of Italy, it is almost extinct in the wild.
- Abies procera: noble fir -- Native to the Northwest, zones 5-6,
but can tolerate some heat. Grows to 75 feet, with huge
cones 6-10 inches long.
- Abies sacalinensis: Sakhalin fir -- hardy to zone 3.
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Tony
riceto@
December 09, 1997
There is a consensus that the beeches need fast draining
soil to exist, as they are susceptible to root rot, and
will not tolerate stagnant water on their root crowns.
However, according to SILVICS OF FOREST TREES IN THE U.S.,
the beech (at least Fagus grandifola, anyway) will grow in
poorly-drained soils with a high seasonal water table
(from 6"-10" beneath the surface) as long as the root crown
is not suject to prolonged flooding. Such trees will have a
shallower root system, and probably will not reach maximum
size, but they will grow in poorly drained soils (ie. soils
with seasonal high water tables). I'm not for sure, but I
think when the books say avoid "wet" soils, they mean soils
that have low permeability, such as heavy clay.
Tony
riceto@
December 09, 1997
There is a consensus that the beeches need fast draining
soil to exist, as they are susceptible to root rot, and
will not tolerate stagnant water on their root crowns.
However, according to SILVICS OF FOREST TREES IN THE U.S.,
the beech (at least Fagus grandifola, anyway) will grow in
poorly-drained soils with a high seasonal water table
(from 6"-10" beneath the surface) as long as the root crown
is not suject to prolonged flooding. Such trees will have a
shallower root system, and probably will not reach maximum
size, but they will grow in poorly drained soils (ie. soils
with seasonal high water tables). I'm not for sure, but I
think when the books say avoid "wet" soils, they mean soils
that have low permeability, such as heavy clay.
Tony
riceto@
December 09, 1997
There is a consensus that the beeches need fast draining
soil to exist, as they are susceptible to root rot, and
will not tolerate stagnant water on their root crowns.
However, according to SILVICS OF FOREST TREES IN THE U.S.,
the beech (at least Fagus grandifola, anyway) will grow in
poorly-drained soils with a high seasonal water table
(from 6"-10" beneath the surface) as long as the root crown
is not suject to prolonged flooding. Such trees will have a
shallower root system, and probably will not reach maximum
size, but they will grow in poorly drained soils (ie. soils
with seasonal high water tables). I'm not for sure, but I
think when the books say avoid "wet" soils, they mean soils
that have low permeability, such as heavy clay.
ronald