Pacific White Fir (Abies Concolor Lowiana) 10 seeds (#350)

Medium to tall fir of central to western United States having a narrow erect crown and soft wood.
Evergreen tree with a striking silvery light blue color, white fir is a pyramidal evergreen tree native to western North America. This large coniferous tree is admired for its short, soft needles of silvery blue-green and its dense symmetrical habit. The female cones are green when immature, then brown at maturity, usually only found in the upper third of the canopy. Its bark is whitish gray and new twigs have a yellow-green hue and are slightly hairy.
Like most firs, this tree is best planted in slightly acidic, well-drained, soil that is moist. White fir is also noted for being somewhat tolerant of heat, drought and pollution; this is arguably the most adaptable and forgiving of all Abies for the garden and urban landscape. This is an excellent specimen plant for large areas, and when planted en masse they make imposing privacy screens or windbreaks. There are numerous cultivars of white fir that vary in size and habit, including compact, dwarf and weeping selections. Deer forage upon the tender needles and buds while porcupines are known to eat the bark. (source: learn2grow.com)

Genus - Abies
Species - Concolor
Variety - Lowiana
Common name - Pacific White Fir
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 3 - 7
Height - 30-130' / 9 - 45 m
Spread - 15-30' / 4.50 - 9 m
Plant type - Tree
Vegetation type - Evergreen
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
Growth rate - Medium
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral
Soil type - Loam, Sand
Water requirements - Drought Tolerant
Landscape uses - Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break
Leaf / Flower color - Blue Green, Gray Green, Steel Blue, Silver / --

GERMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
Abies seeds need to be "overwintered" or stratified before they will germinate.
1. Soak overnight in warm water.
2. Then pre-chill (stratify) for 60 days. Seeds can be stratified in dampened peat, sand or moist vermiculite , in a plastic box or bag at +4C in a refrigerator. The seeds should not be frozen or in a wet medium.
Seed can be sown in early February in a greenhouse or outdoors in March. Normally will only germinate with light, but the stratification (described above) can help to increase the germination rate.
Sow Abies seeds 6-8 mm deep in the seed sowing mix.
Abies seeds will usually germinate in 21-40 days if overwintered and stratified or about 6 - 8 weeks if sown directly.