West Virginia Balsam
Other names
Canaan Fir
Growth habit
Tree
Perennation
Long-lived polycarpic perennial
Native distribution
Canaan Valley, Tucker Co. WV
Location
Source of plant
Treehaven Evergreen Nursery
Description
Separated from the species on the relative lenght of the bract and awn to lenght of the cone scale and by a slight variation in cone size. The following description is for the species. Stiff and symmetrically pyramidal or narrow-conical when young, but losing its pyramidal habit with age. Needles lustrous dark green with white stomatal bands beneath. Cones dark violet when young, 2" to 4" long, turning gray-brown and resinous at maturity; soon after ripening of the seeds, the scales fall off, leaving only the central axis. See Landscape Plant News Vol. 11(1) 2000 for a good discussion of this fir and its provenance (in DS file under number 591).
USDA Hardiness Zone
3
Special characteristics
winter interest, other ethnobotanical uses