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Nordmann fir
Abies nordmanniana
Care level: Easy
The Nordmann fir is a tall, stately conifer from the mountains of the Caucasus and north-eastern Turkey, and today the best-selling Christmas tree in Europe. It makes a regular, narrow cone with tiers of slightly down-swept branches, densely covered in soft, blunt, glossy dark green needles that are silver-banded underneath. Its popularity indoors comes from one trait: it holds its needles for weeks after cutting. In the garden it is a long-lived specimen tree for cool, moist climates and deep, slightly acid soil.
As a precaution, keep it out of reach of children and pets.
Did you know?
This is the Christmas tree that does not drop its needles. The needles are soft and blunt, so they do not prick, and a cut tree kept in water stays green for the whole season. The price is a tree that grows slowly for its first years.
Care by Season
Spring
Buds open late; soft, pale green new shoots appear.
Summer
Growth hardens. Water young trees in dry weather.
Autumn
Planting time begins. Cones on mature trees break up and shed their scales.
Winter
Dormant and fully hardy. Plant, and move potted Christmas trees outside after hardening off.
Growing & Maintenance
Planting
Plant young trees between autumn and spring in deep, moist, slightly acid soil with shelter from drying winds. Stake for the first two years and keep the base free of grass.
Pruning
No pruning is needed. Remove a competing second leader and any dead branches, cutting at the trunk.
Propagation
By seed, sown in late winter after a period of cold. Named forms are grafted.
Pests & Diseases
Common problems
New shoots brown and droop in spring
Most likely cause: Late frost on soft growth.
What to do: Nothing to do; the tree regrows.
Needles yellow and growth is poor
Most likely cause: Heavy, wet or chalky soil.
What to do: Improve the drainage; on chalk, choose another tree.
Needles brown on one side
Most likely cause: Drying wind or drought, especially on young trees.
What to do: Water deeply, mulch and give shelter.
Two leading shoots
Most likely cause: Damage to the leader by frost or birds.
What to do: Cut out the weaker one in winter.
A potted Christmas tree dies after planting
Most likely cause: Roots cut when it was dug, or too long in a warm room.
What to do: Buy a pot-grown tree and limit its time indoors.
Pests & Diseases
Silver fir adelgid
Signs: Tufts of white, waxy wool on the bark and shoots; needles may curl and yellow.
Treatment: No treatment is needed on a garden tree; keep it watered and growing well.
Aphids
Signs: Sticky honeydew and black sooty mould on the needles and shoots in summer.
Treatment: No treatment is needed; predators follow.
Honey fungus
Signs: The tree declines and dies; white fungal sheets under the bark at the base and resin oozing from the trunk.
Treatment: Remove the tree with as much root as possible.
FAQ
Why is the Nordmann fir so popular as a Christmas tree?
It keeps its needles far longer than a spruce, the needles are soft to the touch and the branches are evenly spaced and strong enough for decorations. It has little scent, which some people miss.
Can I plant my potted Nordmann fir outside after Christmas?
Yes, if it was grown in its pot, with roots throughout the compost. Keep it indoors for no more than about ten days, in a cool room and well watered, then harden it off in a sheltered spot outside before planting. Trees dug from a field and squeezed into a pot rarely survive.
How do I keep a cut tree fresh?
Saw 2-3cm off the base, stand it in a holder with water straight away and top it up daily; a tree drinks a litre or more a day at first. Keep it away from radiators and fires.
How big does it grow in the garden?
Eventually 30m or more tall and 4-8m wide. It is slow for the first few years, then adds 30-60cm a year. Plant it only where it can keep its lower branches and its full height.
Can I prune it?
It needs no pruning. Do not cut the leading shoot and do not cut back into bare wood, which does not regrow. If two leaders form, remove the weaker one.
Why are the new shoots brown and limp in spring?
Late frost. The Nordmann fir comes into growth later than many firs, which protects it in most years, but a hard frost after the buds open scorches the soft new shoots. The tree grows out of it.
