Syrian Fir Abies cilicica
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AY-bees sil-LEH-see-kah
- Description
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Syrian fir is a conifer in the pine (Pinaceae) family that typically grows at 3,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation. It is native to Syria, Lebanon and Turkey in the mountains and is often found growing in rocky, well-drained, calcareous soils. The climate of this region is hot dry summers an mild moist winters.
Syrian fir is a tall, fairly narrow tree that will grow 60-80 feet tall and 16-26 feet wide with a narrowly conical crown. Trunks can reach 20 feet in diameter in the wild. This tree will grow in full sun to partial shade and will do best in cooler summer locations.
The spiral needles have two white bands on the undersides and a light-pleasing scent. The seed cones are held upright on the branches.
Use this tree for privacy, as a specimen or for shade.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: See potential insect problems for conifers fact sheet to the left
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Abies
- Species:
- cilicica
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Ancient Egyptians used the wood to treat swelling
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 16 ft. 0 in. - 26 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Columnar
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits, produces cones. Seed cones are upright on branches cylindrical 6 to 8 inches long apex bluntly pointed scales fan-shaped, bracts hidden. Cones can be light green, light yellow, and brown. Resinous, seeds reddish-brown wing obovoid.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Description:
- No flowers
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- White
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Bright green nedles with white, longitudinal bands on the undersides are loosely arranged in a whorl. Needles can be green, light green, or blue-green.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Ashy gray, smooth becoming deeply fissured into scaly plates.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Buds are not resinous, ovoid, brown; scales keeled and free at tips. Branches are reddish to yellow-gray to olive-brown, slightly pubescent the first year then glabrous thereafter
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Woodland
- Design Feature:
- Screen/Privacy
- Shade Tree
