The beautiful Caucasian fir may well be the most important fir species in Europe economically, not so much in its native range in the Caucasus Mountains but in western Europe, due to its success as a Christmas tree. For showiness, it comes very close to Pacific silver fir (A. amabilis). The long needles cover the branches spreading in every direction and the branches grow in symmetrical whorls. In the temperate maritime climate of the Caucasus it can reach heights of 70m (ca.230 ft.), taller than any other European species.
Despite being named in Latin after its Finnish discoverer, botanist Aleksander von Nordmann, the species has proved not to be hardy in Finnish winters. At Mustila there remains a strong belief that a hardier provenance might still be discovered in the depths of the Caucasus Mountains and behind the Pontic mountains. The latest trial plantings are from seed collected in the most continental areas of the natural range of the species, and their winter hardiness is being followed with hopeful trepidation.
