Leaves. The needles
of the Canaan fir are a lustrous dark green above, aromatic,
silvery beneath, narrow and straight, 1/2 to 1" long with a notched
tip. Scattered, spirally arranged in rows, on young Canaan fir
extending from all sides of the branch, on old trees covering
the upper side of the branch.
Flowers. Canaan
fir flower in May, 1/4" long, male catkins.
Fruit. The cones of
the Canaan Fir are erect as in all true firs, 2-4" long and
1" wide, purple when new, browning with age and leaving a stem
as the seed fall off. The young cones are in my opinion a real
spring visual treat, be sure to look for them this June.
Winter Buds. The
buds are small resinous and brown.
Bark. Mature trunks
on Canaan Fir is rough cinnamon-red, thin, scaly, at length
becoming gray, younger trees bark is smooth grayish and
resinous.
Wood. The wood is
light, soft, weak, coarse- grain with wide rings and lighter
colored sapwood, used locally as lumber.
Pests. The balsam
wooly adelgid and spruce budworm are major pests.. These can be
generally treated with an application of Sevin.
Distribution.
Canaan Fir is found mainly in the mid-Appalachia region and in the
higher elevations of the Appalachian mountains above 4,000 feet
in the south. Can be seen growing from barren rock in it's native range.
In Michigan it is not generally found growing naturally.
Other. Fine
Christmas tree though the Fraser and Douglas fir are more in
demand. Our u-cut
canaan fir Christmas trees will be ready to cut November 2017.
Canaan fir do have late bud break so are suitable for sites that
Douglas fir or blue spruce would burn from frost damage.
Cultivars.
Canaan
Fir Abies balsamea phanerolipsis