Native to the mountains of Central and Southern Europe the European silver fir is the Christmas tree praised in the traditional German Christmas carol "O Tannenbaum". Dense foliage and an even growth habit have made it a popular ornamental tree in Central European parks and gardens.
During the past century the European silver fir was not considered hardy in Mustila or elsewhere in Finland, even though it had reached timber sizes in some plantations. Climate change and more suitable seed provenances have challenged this view. The small grove in Mustila, planted in the 1930's, hasn't had serious needle damages since the cold winters of the mid-1980's, and is presently rather attractive, producing an abundance of cones almost every year.
(updated Nov. 9 2022 / JS)