Korean fir (Abies koreana)

The tree known as Abies koreana is a conifer of exceptional beauty, especially suitable for gardens that are in the mountains or close to them, since it resists cold and frost very well.

Therefore, its maintenance is not difficult, although in somewhat warm climates it can have a difficult time to thrive. So, below you will be able to discover what their cultivation needs are.

Origin and characteristics

Image – Wikimedia/ Nick

Our protagonist is an evergreen tree known as Korean fir, or Gusang namu in Korean, native to the mountains of South Korea, where it grows at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,900 meters. It reaches a height between 10 and 18 meters, with a trunk of up to 70 cm in diameter whose bark is soft, resinous and gray-brownish.

The leaves are linear, with a dark green upper surface and two white bands on the underside. The fruits are cones 4-7cm long and 1.5-2cm wide, which turn dark purple before ripening. Its seeds are winged, and they disperse about half a year after pollination.

What is your care of the Abies koreana ?

Image – Flickr/ mutolisp

If you want to have a copy, we recommend that you take care of it as follows:

Location: it must be outside, in full sun if the climate is temperate-cold, or in semi-shade if it is temperate-warm.
Soil: grows in soils rich in organic matter, preferring those that are slightly acidic (pH 6 to 6.5). In alkaline soils (with a pH of 7 or higher) you can have chlorosis problems that can be solved by providing chelated iron, like this one sold here.
Watering: about 4 times a week in summer, and about 2 times a week the rest of the year.
Subscriber: in spring and summer with organic fertilizers, such as guano, compost or others that you can see here.
Multiplication: by seeds in winter, since they need to be cold before germinating.
Rusticity: it resists frosts down to -18ºC, but it does not like hot climates too much.