A democratic Christmas tree metal money , the Fraser fir forms that attractive , narrow and pyramidic shape so jimmy during the holiday time of year for indoor celebrations .
However , the Fraser fir tree ( Abies fraseri , USDA hardiness geographical zone 4 to 7 ) is not common in natural configurations , although it is wide cultivate by commercial tree farms . Sometimes predict the she - balsam , the southern balsam fir , or the Fraser balsam fir , this tree natively grows at about 4,000 to 6,700 ft elevation in cool raft mood .
Its name descend from the Scottish botanist John Fraser ( 1750 - 1811 ) .
About the Fraser Fir
The Fraser fir has a wearisome outgrowth rate and , in its aboriginal habitat , may attain only 2 to 3 feet tall in its first 20 years . At 40 years , it may have reach only the size of a sapling ! When grown in full sun , however , the tree ’s growth rate is much faster . In fact , Fraser fir tree Christmas tree plantings can produce to 6 feet magniloquent in just six to eight years .
This tree is intolerant of heat and humidity , value the nerveless , damp climates characteristic of cool temperate rain forests . If fog is present , that ’s even better .
It has benighted green needles up to 1 inch long , with white bands on the bottom . The stems are resinous , so sometimes you ’ll notice resin blisters on the barque . The seed cones are purplish with blatant bract . Like many fir trees , the cone rod atop the branch rather than drooping below .
Tip
Native to the southerly Appalachian mountains , the Fraser true fir is sometimes likened to the balsam fir tree ( Abies balsamea ) . Totell them aside , look at the bract on the retinal cone : the Fraser fir has foresighted bract that curl down , while the balsam fir has short bracts that hide behind the scale .
Planting a Fraser Fir
A Fraser fir will grow quite turgid unless harvested before fully matured , reaching from 30 to 55 metrical unit in stature and 10 to 25 feet in width . If you are hoping to plant this tree and enjoy it in its natural state , you ’ll require a fate of room .
Choosing a Location
select a full - sun or partial - sun land site to provide two to six minute of direct sun daily . This tree diagram , like most plant life , need well - draining ground .
ascertain you have 24 to 60 pes of space to accommodate this tree diagram ’s increase over time , unless you plan to glean it as a holiday tree when it is young .
The Fraser fir tree opt an acidic dirt pH of under 6.0 , so get a soil mental testing and ameliorate the soil with aluminum sulfate or ferric sulfate to get down the pH if it is too alkalic .
Planting the Tree
prefer ahealthy seedlingwith uniformly fleeceable leaf . Check the bottom of the container to secure that the roots are not rootbound , i.e. circling the pot and emerging from the drain holes .
If your soil test revealed a deficiency , dig in the appropriate amendments before planting . embed your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree during the dormant time of year , in the main early spring , although fall is also possible . Avoid embed if the soil is frozen or too lactating .
Dig a hole about 50 percent larger than the rootball , and locate the tree diagram at the same level it was in its greenhouse container .
Water well until established , sometimes even every 24-hour interval if the conditions becomes warm .
Fraser Fir Care
In its first year after planting , give no fertilizer . In the second year , top - clothes with atomic number 7 three time annually , in early spring , late spring and again in former summer ( usually April , May and June , depending on your fix ) .
Observe your tree and get a ground test if it appears discolored or shows grounds of accent or disease .
Pests and Disease Problems
In its native home ground , the balsam woolly adelgid has killed many Fraser fir . This tree diagram can also be aim by bark beetles , aphid , bagworms and exfoliation . If the weather is hot , wanderer mites can also attack this tree .
Disease susceptibleness admit base rots of various types , phonograph needle rust and twig blight .
