Abies pinsapo Glauca - Glaucous Spanish fir - Spanish fir 'Glauca'

<p><strong>The lofty and noble fir tree, known by the Latin name <em>Abies</em>, remains the cornerstone of a successful Christmas atmosphere</strong>, exemplified by the <a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-by-variety/abies/abies-nordmanniana-subsp-nordmanniana-munsterland-fir.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nordmann Fir</a>. Its verticality symbolises the connection between earth and sky, celebrating renewal, as its cutting originally coincided with the winter solstice in Celtic tradition. </p> <p><strong>These evergreen conifers, with their slow growth, have the advantage of retaining their needles longer than the common spruce</strong> (<em>Picea abies</em>) when displayed indoors. Unlike spruces, <strong>the often flat branches of firs bear soft, flexible needles, pleasant to the touch</strong>, <strong>and upright cones</strong>, whereas spruces have prickly needles arranged in a spiral around the twigs and pendulous cones. Firs are adorned with aromatic needles ranging from <strong>dark green, as seen in </strong><a href="https://en.promessedefleurs.eu/shrubs/conifers/conifers-by-variety/abies/abies-nordmanniana-subsp-nordmanniana-munsterland-fir.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><em>Abies nordmannianna</em></strong></a> or <strong><em>Abies omorika</em></strong>, <strong>to bluish-grey</strong>, <strong>as in</strong> the noble fir (<em>Abies procera, syn. nobilis</em>). The cones are highly decorative, particularly in the <strong>Korean Fir, a modest-sized fir</strong> with a bushy habit, reaching 9 m in height and <strong>producing cones</strong> from a young age, <strong>displaying a striking violet-blue hue</strong>. </p> <p><strong>Firs generally exhibit slow growth</strong>, with a few exceptions like the Silver Fir (Abies alba), whose initially sluggish growth suddenly accelerates after its 6^th year, reaching 1 m per year to form a tree up to 45 m tall. The Giant Fir (Abies grandis) is a “phenomenon,” capable of growing 16 m in 20 years and soaring to 90 m in height on Vancouver Island. <strong>The cultivars available are modest in size, ranging from 0.50 to 6 m tall, with varied habits—bushy, globose, conical, or pyramidal.</strong> </p> <p><strong>Firs are typically very hardy and thrive in cool conditions</strong>, which they find in high-altitude regions or coastal areas. Easy to cultivate in the garden, <strong>they generally require fresh, deep, well-drained soil and a sunny or partially shaded position</strong>. Aphids produce a honeydew on their needles that bees adore, turning it into <strong>an excellent honey</strong>. <strong>With few exceptions, firs tolerate pollution and extreme heat poorly.</strong></p>