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Nordmann fir

Nordmann fir, this spruce is native to the regions around the Black Sea.

Also known as:
Caucasian fir

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Foto: Paul-IMG - CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Sap from spruce trees, including Nordmann spruce, is toxic to dogs and cats. Also be careful with the needles: they are sharp which can cause holes in the esophagus. Do not let pets drink from the water in which the sawed-off trunk of the Christmas tree is standing. This water contains the poisonous tree sap.

Nordmann fir – (Abies nordmanniana). This spruce belongs to the silver firs (Abies) and is native to the regions around the Black Sea. The Nordmann fir can grow to a tree of over 60 meters with a trunk circumference of 2 meters. The needles of this silver fir are flat, between two and three and a half cm long.
The Nordmann fir was brought to Europe by Finnish biologist Alexander von Nordmann. This silver fir is widely used as a Christmas tree because its needles do not fall out as quickly as those of the Norway spruce (Picea abies). The Nordmann fir is more expensive than the Norway spruce because it grows much more slowly than the Norway spruce.
The Nordmann fir has a poor ability to withstand drought. Even as a pot grown Christmas tree, the tree needs water: in a heated living room, the Christmas tree easily evaporates more than a liter of water per day. So that must be replenished to prevent the tree from drying out and dropping its needles.
The Nordmann fir is less suitable for replanting after Christmas due to its long taproot: the taproot is cut off during harvesting, causing the tree to lose most of its roots. The Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) has broad roots and is therefore better suited for replanting. Make a large planting hole, add some compost and plant the tree in such a way that the root ball is just below ground level. Choose a spot where the Fraser fir has some space, it can grow quite large. In times of drought (also in winter!), water generously.

Bugs

Tree is yellowing, starting at the top, later the Nordmann spruce drops its needles: Six toothed bark beetle (Pityogenes chalcographus).

Fungi & diseases

Yellowed needles on the tops of lower branches; cankers on affected branches and the trunk, releasing a lot of resin: Neonectria neomacrospora. Under moist conditions in winter and autumn, small red fungal globules filled with fungal spores form on the dead branches.
Needles yellow, tree dies slowly, roots are affected: root rot caused by Phytophthora.

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