Abies balsamea Piccolo

Abies balsamea 'Piccolo' is a dwarf variety of balsam fir, with a stout and very compact habit, and fine, soft to the touch, dark green foliage. In spring, its brown and prominent buds at the end of almost vertical branches bring colour to the whole. With its slow growth and small size, it is perfect for small gardens, rockeries or containers.

The balsam fir is a conifer of the pine family, native to North America, which reaches a height of 15 to 20 m (49 to 66ft) and forms a trunk of 60 cm (24in) in diameter in its natural environment. The 'Piccolo' form is an improvement of the 'nana' variety, which is a miniature version of this species. It will not exceed 45 cm (18in) in height and 65 cm (26in) in diameter, after many years. It has a compact habit, first round, then more spreading, and forms a large, very soft cushion made up of upright branches where very fine and very flexible needles are inserted like a brush. Its large spring buds crown its dark green foliage with a velvety brown and lime green. It should be noted that this variety, like the species, is impregnated with a fragrant resin (balsam) exuding a very pleasant spicy fragrance.

Abies balsamea 'Piccolo' is ideal for container cultivation on a terrace or in small gardens thanks to its slow growth and small size. With its dense cushion-like silhouette, it will work well in rockeries, especially if planted in groups of 3 subjects. The architectural qualities of dwarf conifers naturally blend into the creation of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes and textures over those of flowers. These plants with strong personalities structurally and durably shape a bed, mark pathways and border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood. They serve as a backdrop for small roses, peonies, or tousled grasses with very complementary forms. They can also be associated with ground cover plants such as aubrietas or ceraistes, and flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.