Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain or Corkbark Blue Abies lasiocarpa 'Arizonica' Height: 40 feet Spread: 20 feet
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Hardiness Zone: 4a Other Names: Corkbark Fir, Subalpine Fir Description: An impressive Rocky Mountain fir with distinctly blue foliage all season long, slow growing, and retains its conical habit for many years; tolerates drier conditions than most firs Ornamental Features Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain or Corkbark Blue is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive steel blue evergreen foliage which emerges powder blue in spring. The needles are highly ornamental and remain steel blue throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain or Corkbark Blue is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone. This is a relatively low maintenance tree. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics. Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain or Corkbark Blue is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Fir, Arizona Rocky Mountain or Corkbark Blue will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 80 years or more. This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in sandy soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This is a selection of a native North American species.
