Description

Family Pinaceae
Originating from, a British cultivar with W. USA parentage.

• Silver upswept needles create a toothbrush shape on the wide-spreading branches.
• Purple/pink pollen cones appear in summer followed by large dark purple seed cones in late summer.
• Easy to grow in any soil making a stunning evergreen ground cover.
• Our price includes a specially chosen bowl-shaped pot, enhancing the oriental dwarf character of the plant.

Elegantly upswept silver-blue needles and a well-defined tiered branching pattern characterise this prostrate form. The wide-spreading branches bear densely covered thick needles that curve upwards, giving the branches the appearance of having flat undersides, and a toothbrush-like bristly arrangement of foliage above. Although it primarily grows horizontally, this Noble Fir variant might develop upright shoots, known as leaders. Pruning these can encourage lateral growth and a prostrate habit. New season’s needles emerge in late spring, dazzling in a near-white hue before maturing to silver/blue.

Conifers are rarely selected for gardens based on their flowering and fruiting displays, yet many exhibit spectacular blooming and seed cone cycles. In late spring, this cultivar starts producing male pollen cones, initially deep purple and maturing to raspberry red, about acorn-sized, on lower branches. These are followed by upright-standing female seed cones on the higher branches, reaching 8 – 10cm in height, and have a fantastic dusky purple shade with protruding golden seed tips. As the cones mature and dry, they transition to a tan hue and open up, revealing seeds inside.

The procession of displays offered by this exceptional cultivar could rival that of numerous flowering shrubs, showcasing bright evergreen shoots, vibrant male flowers, and enduring seed cones.

Rarely available in the UK, this variety has been grafted and nurtured by our artisan growers in Holland and is already around 6 years old. As a slow-growing form, it will flourish in our designated pot for 4 – 5 years with consistent feeding and watering during summer. Suitable for neutral to acid soil. For potted growth, regular watering and feeding in summer are recommended. The ‘Noble fir’ is a highly resilient and easily cultivated conifer.

Mature height and spread after 15 years if not pruned 40cm x 1.2m