Abies pinsapo (Spanish Fir)

Abies pinsapo (Spanish Fir) is an evergreen conifer of narrow habit in youth, becoming broad pyramidal with age. Usually branched to the ground, it sports beautiful short, sharp-pointed, blue-green needles with broad bands of whitish wax on both sides. They are arranged radially around the stout and very stiff branchlets. The upright seed cones, up to 7 in. long (18 cm), are greenish pink to purple when young maturing to light brown. The dark gray bark is smooth on young trees, becoming longitudinally fissured, rough and scaly with age. A relatively slow grower, its gray bark is thin when young, thickening and becoming brown with age. For centuries, people have mashed its twigs in water, creating soap. Spanish Fir is useful in formal garden designs thanks to its distinctive habit.

• Grows up to 50-70 ft. high (15-21 m) and 15-30 ft. wide (4-9 m).
• Performs best in full sun or part shade in rich, slightly acidic, consistently moist, well-drained soils. Best in full sun.
• Keep an eye out for aphids, adelgids, root rots, needle rust and twig blight.
• No pruning required.
• Propagate by seed or grafting
• Native to Southern Spain.