balsam fir
Abies balsamea
USDA zones3 to 6
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size50 to 70 feet tall15 to 25 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Bloom color
- Non-flowering
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is a tree for low maintenance, winter interest, and woodland gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. The soft, fragrant foliage makes it a favorite Christmas tree. It keeps a dense, spire-like shape but loses its lower branches as it matures. Deer tend to pass it by.
Pairs well with Paper birch, Christmas fern, Wild ginger, and Common snowberry.
Native range
North America.