Habitat

• native to mountains of Europe and parts of Asia
• cold hardy to zone 3

Habit and Form

• evergreen tree
• narrow dense pyramidal form when young
• more open and somewhat flat-topped with drooping branches when mature
• 25 to 35' tall by 10 to 20' wide
• medium to fine texture
• slow growth rate

Summer Foliage

• 5 needles per fasicle
• approx. 3" in length
• blue green to light green needles
• stiff, straight, dense, needles, but soft to the touch
• stomatal lines on underside of needles
• serrated margins
• needles are twisted

Autumn Foliage

• no fall color (remains green)
• needles persist up to 5 years

Flowers

• monoecious
• no ornamental value

Fruit

• violet brown cone
• ovoid to elongated oval, 3" long
• cones remain on tree after maturing, approx. 3 years
• cones remain closed

Bark

• new stems covered with orange-brown pubescence
• mature branches are dark

Culture

• prefers a well-drained, loamy soil
• plant in open areas in full sun
• transplants well
• resistant to most pests and diseases
• needs little pruning for a strong structure

Landscape Uses

• grouping or mass plantings
• good accent tree
• stays in scale to landscape for long time
• possibly as a screen because of narrow canopy, but cost/availability of multiple plants is an issue

Liabilities

• slow growth, although this can be an asset
• relatively uncommon, hard to locate

ID Features

• small to medium-sized tree
• needles in 5's, with stomatal lines on underside
• serrated margins
• new stems covered with orange-brown hairs

Propagation

• by seed, seed stratification can be benefical

Cultivars/Varieties

'Nana' - A slow-growing form, this plant features a pyramidal habit to 20' tall. Otherwise it is similar to the species. 'Pygmaea' is an even smaller form with needles tufted in congested growths.

'Columnaris' (perhaps the same as 'Chalet') - The most common form of the species, this plant has blue-green needles and a dense, narrow fastigiate form. More than one form may reside under this name.