Greek Fir Abies cephalonica
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-bees sef-ah-LON-ih-kuh
- Description
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Greek Fir, a conifer that reaches a height of 80 to 110 feet, is native to the mountainous regions of Albania and Greece. It has good drought and disease resistance, but due to the large size, it is hard to use in the home landscape. The needle-like leaves are glossy green on top with two, pale blue, longitudinal stripes underneath. The pyramidal form is attractive.
It prefers fertile, slightly acidic, moist soils in full sun. This tree needs to be planted in an area accommodating its size as a meadow, park or university type-setting.
Dwarf cultivars are available.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: See potential insects for conifers fact sheet to the left
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Meyer's Dwarf'
Dwarf cultivar - 'Mint Tip'
Dwarf
- 'Meyer's Dwarf'
- 'Meyer's Dwarf', 'Mint Tip'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Meyer's Dwarf'
Dwarf cultivar - 'Mint Tip'
Dwarf
- 'Meyer's Dwarf'
- 'Meyer's Dwarf', 'Mint Tip'
- Tags:
-
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Abies
- Species:
- cephalonica
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Young trees are used as Christmas trees. Wood was used as lumber in the past, but it has now become too rare.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Albania to Greece
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Conical
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Spreading
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Seed cones are 4 to 8 inches long and 1.5 inches wide, with around 200 scales, each scale bearing two seeds that are winged. Cones disintegrate at maturity, releasing the seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- This is conifer. It produces cones. Pollen cones ovoid and 0.5 inch long
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Prickly
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Needle-like, flattened, 0.5 to 1 inch long by 0.1 inch wide, glossy, dark green above, two white-blue longitudinal bands of stomata underneath. Tips are usually pointed, sometimes blunt. Needles are spirally arranged.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Smooth
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Oval
- Bark Description:
- Gray-brown and smooth when young, fissured with oblong plates as it ages. Trunk diameter can reach three feet.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Scaly
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Bright brown or red-brown, smooth. Buds conical or ovoid, resinous, scales visible at the apex
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Insect Pests
