NOS
ABIES
FRASERI
PAGE
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| CHARACTER STATE | Abies balsamea | Abies fraseri |
| Mature female cone bracts | shorter than scales or very slightly exerted (extended) beyond scales, if exerted mostly flat and small | much exerted beyond scales and reflexed on these extensions. This is the classic ID tip and most reliable when coning material is available. |
| Stomatal rows either side of midrib on leaf below (leaf color) | 4 - 8 per side, mostly 6-7 | 8 - 12 per
side - more numerous (often resulting in a more sharp midrib and much whiter or silvery stomatal bands. It is a much prettier Christmas tree on this account) |
| Foliage aroma when crushed | rich, balsam scent, often strongly so. | less strong balsam scent. I have noticed some faint citrus notes in Christmas tree stock. Overall, this species has a fainter, more subtle aroma. |
| Leaf density | -- | Some report this species is more densely foliated, that is, more leaves per unit of stem. This effect is likely the product of regular shearing on Christmas trees (which is all most people know) and these receiving much fertilization compared to wild Balsam firs. Among wild material no data is available to support this feature. |
| Female strobilus (cone) length | 2.0 - 4.0 inches | 1.5 - 2.5 (3.0) inches, often slightly smaller. May not be a useful trait in all cases as this species is often cultivated where not durable and on severe, tall mountains were it is much stressed by climate and pollution. |
| Landscape tolerance (USDA hardiness) | handles cold conditions better (USDA 3) but is less drought tolerant than A. fraseri. | Less cold hardy (USDA 4-5), but more tolerant of both drought and high elevations in southern states. |
| Geography (states, regions) | From the central Appalachian mountains and to the north (middle VA and to northern US states and into Canada, including Labrador to Upper Yukon) | southern Appalachian mountains (VA, WV, TN, SC, NC) and to the south, often found on tall mountains (3000-6000 ft.) such as Mt. Mitchell at 6684 ft. |
Abies fraseri 'Coerulea' ('Caerulea')
ha: low, spreading,
vigorous
lc: more rich blue-green
Abies fraseri 'Compacta'
ha: compact, dwarf
Abies fraseri 'Fantasticooli'
ns: a listed name from
Arrowhead Alpines 2003. Description unclear from their catalog.
Abies fraseri 'Franklin'
ha: miniature, from a
witches broom
Abies fraseri 'Frederick'
ha: narrowly columnar to
fastigiate, far narrower than most plants
lc: dark green
or: Don Frederick, Evergreen Gardens Nursery, Blairsville PA USA 1970
li: American Conifer Society. 2003. World Conifer Database. online records.
Abies fraseri 'Gee' ('Gee's WB'
illegitimate)
ha: dwarf, from witches
broom
Abies fraseri 'Hal' (Hal's)
ha: witches broom dwarf
Abies fraseri 'Hilltop Frost'
(12/3)
so:
Bethlehemnursery.com (online
catalog Fall 2003, without description)
Abies fraseri 'Joe's Dwarf'
(12/3)
so:
Bethlehemnursery.com (online
catalog Fall 2003, without description)
Abies fraseri 'Julian Potts'
ha: miniature
Abies fraseri 'Klein's Nest'
('Kline's Nest')
ht: 1 ft. tall x 3 ft.
wide
ha: dwarf, mounded to low-spreading, similar to P. abies 'Nidiformis' in
time, often somewhat irregular
frq: female cones purple, a bonus for a dwarf cultivar
Abies fraseri 'Mount Kisco'
(12/3)
so:
Bethlehemnursery.com (online
catalog Fall 2003, without description than than "witches broom")
Abies fraseri 'Nana'
ha: dwarf
ns: this post-1959 Latin is almost certainly illegitimate.
Abies fraseri 'Piglets' (12/3)
so:
Bethlehemnursery.com (online
catalog Fall 2003, without description)
Abies fraseri 'Prostrata' (f.
prostrata Rehd., 'Horizontalis')
ha: 1.2m tall x 4.0m wide
when young, dimensions of 4 ft. tall x 12 ft. wide are reported.
st: twigs often reddish pubescent in the most common clone
ha: spreading to horizontal shrub, generally compact, usually without any
leader
Abies fraseri 'Raul's Dwarf' ('Rauls')
ns: a listed name with
Kenwith Nursery UK 2001. Related to 'W.B. Rauls'?
'Reeseville
Ridge' - click image to enlarge
Conifer Collection, Dawes
Arboretum. Summer 2003. 'Frederick' is narrow by limbs hanging down and this
rare clone
is narrow by limbs going straight up. This reminds me of how Fraser firs
come bagged on trucks before Christmas.
Abies fraseri 'Reeseville Ridge'
ha: narrowly columnar,
limbs distinctly erect at 15-25% angle
Abies fraseri 'Recker No. 1'
provisional name
ha: miniature, from a
witches broom
Abies fraseri 'Vasti' ('Ken
Franke Prostrate')
ha: low, prostrate
or: Ken Franke as seedling
Abies fraseri 'W.B. Rauls'
ns: a listed name from
the US trade c. 2003
Abies fraseri 'Wingle's Blue
Bonnet' ('Blue Bonnet')
ha: dwarf, conical, 2-4
inches growth a year
lc: rich blue - the most blue seedling known to date (2003)
or: Mat Wingle 1987 from a seedling at the Christmas tree farm