Silver Fir
Abies alba
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Crusier
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Coniferophyta | - Conifers
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Genus:
- Abies
- Species:
- Abies alba
- USDA Symbol:
- ABAL3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Tree
- Height:
- 5000 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Barbara colfaxiana, Eastern blackheaded budworm (Acleris variana), Eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals, seed-eating birds
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers cool, humid environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 21–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination. Fresh seeds germinate better than stored seeds; viability declines rapidly after one year.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI