Korean Fir

The Korean fir tree is a small to mid-sized evergreen conifer, found in the mountains of South Korea. It is a beautiful plant with ornamental foliage, revered across the world as a decorative tree for gardens and landscapes.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Abies
Scientific Name	Abies koreana

Quick Information

Other Names	Gusang Namu (in Korea)
Size	Height at maturity around 15-30 feet
Leaves	Needle-like, flattened; 1-2 cm long and 2-2.5 mm wide with a thickness of 0.5 mm; glossy dark green topside with two bright and vivid bands of stomata below; slightly notched tips
Cones (Strobili)	4-7 cm long and 1.5-2 cm wide; dark purple-blue when young
Tree Type	Evergreen
Shape	Symmetrical with a conical outline
Distribution/Range	Native range is in the mountains of South Korea, including Jeju-do Island at altitudes of 3,280-6230 feet
Hardiness Zones	5-7
Lifespan	Around 30 years
Growth Rate	Slow for the first 5 years, picks up the pace after that
Growing Conditions	Spring Conditions: Fertilizer should be applied in early spring before newly-grown appear Water: High requirement for water except the rainy season Sunlight: Full Sun Soil requirements: Cool, moist, well-drained sandy, loamy or clay soil, with high acidic pH
Pests and Diseases	Needle rust, root rot disease, twig blight, aphids, bagworms, balsam wooly adelgids, bark beetles, scales, spider mites, spruce budworms
Flowering/Fruiting	Flowering period: June, July, and August Fruiting period: March to May
Seed Production	Colorful cones are borne at a very young age; by 5 years of age, cones bear purple/blue color
Seedling Development	Germination happens almost a year after they have been sown into well-drained, sandy compost soil; should be covered to their own depth either with grit or sand; artificial heat is not necessary; germination process is rather slow during spring months
Wildlife Value	This tree has not been known to exhibit any wildlife value
Cultivars	Aurea Horstmann’s Silberlocke
Uses	Makes for an attractive ornamental tree
IUCN Conservation Status	Endangered

Interesting facts

• The Korean fir has such symmetry that its cones are very geometric, exact and perfectly groomed, not one of its needles look out of place.
• The ‘Silberlocke’ and ‘Aurea’ variants are so named because of their silver and golden foliages, respectively.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abies_koreana
2. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3336731/How-to-grow-Korean-fir.html
3. https://www.gardenia.net/plant/abies-koreana-korean-fir
4. https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/grow-korean-fir-tree-18058459.php
5. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/44/abies-koreana/details