Abies nordmanniana 'Kulista' - Sapin de Nordmann Kulista, Sapin du Caucase, Sapin de Crimée

The Abies nordmanniana 'Kulista' forms a rounded bush that gradually develops into a more pyramidal shape over time. This transformation remains relatively slow. The branches of this Nordmann fir are densely arranged around the trunk. Its evergreen foliage ensures year-round decoration. This is a hardy conifer, requiring minimal care and thriving in cool, slightly acidic soils and partial shade.

Belonging to the Pinaceae family, the Abies nordmanniana, also known as the Caucasian fir or Crimean fir, is a conifer native to the temperate regions of Western Asia. It grows notably in the mountain forests of Crimea and the Caucasus. In the wild, this species is a slender, pyramidal tree that can reach between 30 and 50, or even 60 metres in height. Its trunk can measure up to 2 metres in diameter. It owes its species name to Alexander Von Nordmann (1803–1866), a Finnish botanist, zoologist, and palaeontologist, who discovered it in 1835 during an expedition to the Caucasus.
The ‘Kulista’ variety is a recent Polish cultivar by Joanna and Bronislaw Szmit, derived from the famous Nordmann fir that graces our homes every Christmas. Initially globular, its habit becomes more conical over time. With very slow growth, it reaches 2 to 3 metres in height and 1.2 to 1.5 metres in width. It grows 20 to 25 cm per year. The tips of its shoots point upwards. Its needles are short, measuring 1.5 to 2.5 cm in length and 1 to 2 mm in width. These short needles are dark green with silvery highlights and feature two white bands on the underside.

The dark green, evergreen foliage of the Abies nordmanniana 'Kulista' is ideal in a mixed border alongside flowering bushes and perennials. It serves as a permanent decorative element, providing a backdrop for the David Austin rose ‘Grace’ with its orange flowers and the striking Itoh peony ‘Callie’s Memory’. Add a touch of lightness with an astilbe ‘Peach Blossom’ and contrast with the golden spring foliage of a Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’.