The tight-growing Maries’ fir is a rare beauty in Finland, despite its small size and slow growth making it ideal for smaller gardens. The close-growing needles and regular whorls of branches give the species an appearance reminiscent of club moss or ferns, rather similar to that of the Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis). The species is native to the mountain forests of Japan’s Honshu Island, so prefers a rather maritime climate, in Finland growing best near the south coast.
Maries’ fir has been growing at Mustila for about 100 years. Seeds of unknown provenance were acquired from Japan in 1908 and 1909. The record-breaking cold winter of 1939–1940 destroyed many of the trees but those which survived have since proved totally hardy.
Ryhmittely
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