All Species
Abies grandis (OG grown)
Grand fir Ht 40-50m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates shade / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Timber / Christmas Trees / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Western Canada to N. California. Narrowly conical, evergreen, dark green foliage, tangerine smell when crushed. Shade tolerant. Suited to uneven aged selection forestry. Large timber volume producer.
Abies grandis (PLUG grown)
Grand fir Ht 40-50m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates shade / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Timber / Christmas Trees / Container Grown / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Western Canada to N. California. Narrowly conical, evergreen, dark green foliage, tangerine smell when crushed. Shade tolerant. Suited to uneven aged selection forestry. Large timber volume producer.
Abies nordmanniana (PLUG grown)
Caucasian fir Ht 30-50m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates shade / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Timber / Christmas Trees / Container Grown / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Caucasus Mountains and N E Turkey. Narrowly conical, evergreen. Old trees in Nelson area were spectacular, most have now been felled. Top ranked Christmas tree in Europe. Rare in New Zealand.
Abies pindrow (PLUG grown)
Himalayan fir Ht 30-60m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Container Grown / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Western Himalayas at 2,000-3,000m. Columnar, evergreen with 40mm needles, with 2 greenish stomatal bands beneath. Early production of dark blue 14cm erect cones, turning brown and disintegrating. Rare and beautiful.
Abies spectabilis (POT grown)
West Himalayan fir Ht 30-50m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Container Grown / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Afghanistan to Nepal. Evergreen, broadly conical. Dark green shiny needles, silvery underneath. Violet-blue erect cones. One of the stronger growing silver firs.
Abies vejarii (OG grown)
Vejar silver fir Ht 30-40m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates shade / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Timber / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Tamaulipa Province, Mexico, only found on 500 hectares. Narrowly conical, evergreen. Blueish green needles. Vigorous growth, two specimens are the tallest trees in our 35-year-old collection. Large volume timber production. Good near Fairlie.
Abies vejarii (PLUG grown)
Vejar silver fir Ht 30-40m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates shade / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Timber / Container Grown / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Tamaulipa Province, Mexico, only found on 500 hectares. Narrowly conical, evergreen. Blueish green needles. Vigorous growth, two specimens are the tallest trees in our 35-year-old collection. Large volume timber production. Good near Fairlie
Acer pseudoplatanus
Sycamore Ht 25-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Resistant to salt spray / Tolerates exposed sites / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber / Firewood / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Europe and south west Asia. Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Tolerates harsh conditions. Can seed prolifically and provide fodder for grazing animals. In Central Otago it gives good yellow autumn colour.
Acer pseudoplatanus purpureum
Sycamore (purple under leaf) Ht 25-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Resistant to salt spray / Tolerates exposed sites / Tolerates dry sites / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Timber / Firewood / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Broadly columnar, deciduous. Vigorous grower. Similar in all characteristics to the green leaf form. The purple colour under the leaf adds variety. White hardwood joinery timber.
Aesculus hippocastanum
Horse chestnut Ht 20-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Intolerant to clay soils / Attractive autumn colours - yellow / Attractive flowers or catkins / Attractive berries fruits or cone / Attracts bees / Tolerates limestone soils / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Albania and Nth Greece. Broadly conical, deciduous. Large palmate compound leaves produce a dense shade. Large creamy white flowers, then prickly oval fruits, enclosing polished conkers prized by schoolboys in the UK. Best in fertile soils.
Alnus jorullensis (POT grown)
Mexican evergreen alder Ht 20-25m
Large tree / Evergreen / Tolerates wet sites / Attractive flowers or catkins / Timber / Shelter / Hedging / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
Mexico & the Andes at higher altitudes. Broadly conical. evergreen, but can shed some leaves in a cold winter. Dark green serrated leaves tapering to a point, new shoots dark brown. Fast growing popular shelter in mild parts of NZ.
Alnus rubra
Oregon or red alder Ht 25-30m
Large tree / Deciduous / Tolerates wet sites / Tolerates exposed sites / Attractive flowers or catkins / Timber / Firewood / Erosion control / Shelter / Cold hardy (H4) (-10 to -5C)
West North America. Broadly conical deciduous. Vigorous growth on hillsides as well as stream sides. Produces good hardwood timber for furniture and panelling. Planted for shelter. Red winter buds identify this alder.