Subalpine Fir 'Compacta'

Fir Compacta (Abies lasiocarpa 'Compacta') — It looks like the "perfect Christmas tree" in miniature: very dense, silvery-blue and with a flawless conical shape.

Here is a detailed description of this aristocrat of the garden:

1. Appearance and colour

• Crown: Dense, broadly conical, very symmetrical. The branches grow densely, directed slightly upward, which gives the tree a neat and orderly look.
• Needles: This is the main adornment of the cultivar. They are short, soft (not prickly at all!), with a stunning silvery-blue or steel colour. The needles are pleasant to the touch, and when rubbed they release a characteristic citrus-coniferous aroma.
• Bark: Smooth, silvery-grey, very ornamental even at a young age.

2. Growth rate and dimensions

This cultivar belongs to the slow-growing ones, which makes it ideal for small plots:

• Annual growth: 3–5 cm in height (in some years up to 10 cm).
• Size at 10 years: Usually reaches a height of 1–1.2 metres and a width of about 60–80 cm.