Abies nordmanniana subsp. nordmanniana Aurea - Fir

Abies pinsapo, known as Spanish fir or Andalusian fir, is an species endemic of the mountains in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. This tall conifer is appreciated for its unique, irregular narrow pyramid habit and its very rigid golden-green needles arranged in a brush all around the branch. Slow-growing but hardy and highly drought-resistant, it is also a majestic tree that can be planted in isolation, on the boundaries of a large garden or in a container with ordinary dryish soil. This beautiful Mediterranean species thrives particularly well in dry gardens, in any well-drained even poor soil.

The Spanish fir, sometimes also called Andalusian fir, is a conifer of the Pinaceae family native to the medium and high mountains of Andalusia and Morocco. It grows in dry and warm soils but also withstands temperatures as low as -25°C (77°F). In nature, this species has a cylindrical habit that becomes flat with age, often forming several leaders. It can reach up to 25 metres (82 feet) in height. The Spanish fir is distinguished from other firs by its fairly rigid, regular and dense conical shape, which becomes cylindrical with age. Its silhouette is covered with many leafy branches about ten centimetres long. Its growth remains slow throughout its life and it remains medium-sized, not exceeding 25m (82ft). Its almost cylindrical needles, arranged in a brush and covered with a thick layer of wax, are short, 10 to 15mm (1in) long, and marked with 2 white bands on both sides, giving it an exceptional grey-blue colour. Truncated at their ends, they are very tactile. The trunk bark has a pearly grey colour that becomes fissured with age.

The 1 cm (1/2in) male cones form very decorative clusters at the ends of the lower branches, while the white-pink and slightly curved female cones, proudly point towards the sky at the top of the tree, measuring up to 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6in) in length. They turn brown when ripe and often only appear after 20 years, except in grafted specimens.

In our gardens, Abies pinsapo Aurea can reach 20m (66ft) in height and 6m (20ft) in width after many years, so it is important to consider its future growth. This tree has a straight trunk that can be cleared to facilitate circulation, and very compact branches. Its very slow growth and its particular resistance to drought and heat also allow it to be cultivated in containers on a terrace. It will find its place in any garden well exposed to the sun, with moderately poor and well-drained soil, and benefiting from good air quality as it tolerates pollution poorly. Pair it with other conifers with green or glaucous foliage, such as Juniperus communis Arnold, and Mediterranean plants like rosemary, cistus, and terebinth pistachio.