Fir, Nordmann

Description:

What a fantastic tree! Majestic in character, the outline is striking and bold without being obnoxious. The rich foliage of the needles shows a lush, dark green on top with a silvery underside, and gives young trees a pleasing two-tone appearance. Although the Nordmann Firs of the park have lost their lower canopy, the branching usually descends all the way to the ground. Nordmann Fir is one of the most trouble-free Firs in the Appalachian region.

It was discovered growing in the Caucasus Mountains of Eurasia in 1836 or 1837 by a Finnish naturalist named Alexander von Nordmann, for whom it is named. This is a large tree, maturing to a height of 70 feet or more. It grows slowly when very young but moderately fast after the first few years. In its youth, Nordmann Fir is attractive. As it comes of age, it becomes bold and impressive, a tree to be respected. It’s not afraid of summer. Nordmann Fir can be planted with confidence in environments where most Firs would languish. The obvious use for such a grand tree is as a specimen tree in a prominent location. If planted with other trees, be sure it is flanked by deciduous trees. If possible, situate it against the eastern or western horizons where the sunrises or sunsets can accent its bold outline.

The Nordmann firs of the park were planted by JW Bosler, probably in the 1860’s. It was a rare tree then and is still seldom seen in landscapes today. It was these old trees, as well as many other venerable specimens, that inspired the founders of ‘Friends of Seven Gables’ to start a non-profit to save this grand collection of trees.