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Compact White Fir Abies concolor 'Compacta'

Phonetic Spelling
A-bees KON-kol-or
Description

Compact White Fir is a dwarf fir with lovely blue-green needles that contrasts nicely with plants with greener leaves. It can be left to its natural irregular shape or be pruned round or conical. It grows slowly and does best in sun to part shade in moist rich well-drained soils. It requires climates with cool summers and long winters and does not tolerate clay soils or the humidity south of zone 7. Use in a rock garden, as a border or even in a container.

Insects Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Relatively problem free. Watch for aphids. 

More information on Abies concolor.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#blue needles#small shrub#conifer#native shrub#mounding#deer resistant#blue-green leaves#compact habit#partial shade tolerant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#blue needles#small shrub#conifer#native shrub#mounding#deer resistant#blue-green leaves#compact habit#partial shade tolerant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Abies
    Species:
    concolor
    Family:
    Pinaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Wildlife Value:
    Deer resistant
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    Rarely browsed by deer.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 4 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Columnar
    Dense
    Growth Rate:
    Slow
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Coarse
  • 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:
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    3 feet-6 feet
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Purple/Lavender
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Length:
    > 3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    Cones 3 to 6 inches long, upright, brown-purple, appearing on the branches after the plant is 40 or more years old.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Description:
    No Flowers
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Prickly
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Long-lasting
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Needles
    Leaf Shape:
    Linear
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    This plant has 2- to 3-inch attractive, sickle-shaped needles. The needles can be powder blue, blue-green, bright green, or gray-blue.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Gray
    Bark Description:
    Smooth ash-gray bark furrows with age.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Lawn
    Small Space
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Border
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer