General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 6b
Plant Height: 30 to 50 feet in landscapes; 130 to 200 feet in native wild
Leaves: Evergreen
Needled
Uses: Provides winter interest
Pollinators: Wind
Miscellaneous: Monoecious
Conservation status: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Least Concern
Image
Common names
  • European Silver Fir
  • Silver Fir
  • Swiss Pine

Photo Gallery

Date: c. 1888
illustration [as Picea excelsa] from 'Gartenflora', 1888
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Date: 2019-11-24
maturing trees in European Collection
Location: Arkinglas woodland garden, Argyll, Scotland
Date: 2015-06-08
"The Monster" - one of Great Britain's 'Champion Trees' this was
Location: Poland
credit: Jerzy Opioła
Location: Silesian Beskids, Poland
Date: May
credit: Crusier

Date: August
credit: Simon A. Eugster

credit: Vista

Franz Eugen Kohler, Kohler's Medizinal-Pflanzen 1887
Location: Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois
Date: 2019-11-24
foliage
Comments:
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Dec 1, 2019 4:06 PM concerning plant:
    This conifer is native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Its flat needles are 0.7 to 1.2 inches long by about 0.8 inches wide and are regularly spaced in 2 ranks. The needle tip is usually slightly notched. Foliage is dark, glossy green above with two large silver-white stomata bands below, and fragrant when crushed. Looking back at the tree, it has a silver sheen to it. It develops large dark brown cones about 3.6 to 7.2 inches long by 1.2 to 1.6 inches wide. The cones have about 150 to 200 scales. Very beautiful tree. I've only seen three specimens planted at Morton Arboretum in northeast Illinois and I don't know of it used in the Midwest or Mid-Atlantic of the USA. It has been planted and is common in northern Europe. It has been used as a Christmas tree and was the original Oh, Tannenbaum.

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Murky and is called "White Peony"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.