Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana steven spach)
Appearance: Height coniferous evergreen tree 25-30 meters. Initially with a narrow crown, conical, more and more columnar with age, with a pointed tip. The branches in the central part of the crown grow horizontally and are quite densely embedded; upper branches less clearly directed upwards, than common iodine.
The bark is initially smooth, dull gray, only in old trees it is rectangularly cracked or divided into tiles.
Length pins 2-3 cm are slightly cut at the front, equilibrium, clearly furrowed, dark green and shiny on top, underneath - with two white stripes of stomata. They are set in two rows on twigs very densely, slightly forward. Spread it out – give off a fruity scent, Female cones are located only in the top zone of older trees, When mature, they are approx 15 cm, they are cylindrical, initially pale green, finally brownish.
Occurrence: An important forest tree in Northeast Turkey and the Western Caucasus. Increasingly grown in forests or planted as a park tree also in other parts of Europe.
Flowering period: April to May. Related species:
Bornmiiller fir (Abies bornmuelleriana) it is distinguished by its remarkably smooth texture, black-no-reddish bark. The pins are dense and not spread out to the sides. Quite a rare tree in the mountain forests of Asia Minor. Sometimes it is planted as a park and ornamental tree. Veitch Fir (Abies mtchii) it has a gray to gray-brown bark, with delicately marked horizontal lines. Double-row heels, directed forward, quite dense, with indents at the vertices. There are two white stripes underneath. Originally found only in East Asia (mainly in Japan), currently planted, though rarely, in city parks,
Purple fir (You will be lovely) is a tree, which in its homeland can reach heights 50-60 meters. Its bark is quite smooth, gray-purple, with prominent horizontally arranged resin bubbles, also visible on older specimens. Very dense pins, facing forward, are approx 3 cm, and when rubbed, they give a distinct orange scent. The mature pine cone is brownish in color and approx 12 cm in length. The tree was originally distributed only in the western part of North America (Oregon and British Columbia). Currently also planted as a park tree.
General thoughts: A characteristic feature of all species of the genus Abies is the way the pins are mounted on the twigs – always on the small, roundish shield, which leaves no permanent traces. In spruce trees, on the other hand, small scales are always left, and after the pins fall, the twigs are as rough as a file.