Side by side
European silver fir or Nordmann fir? How to tell them apart
Abies alba · Abies nordmanniana
How to tell them apart – European silver fir: needles in an open comb, with a V-shaped parting along the top of the twig; Nordmann fir: more densely packed, glossy needles that cover the top of the twig.
How do you recognise them?
- European silver fir
- Flat, soft needles arranged like a comb, with two white stripes underneath; cones stand upright.
- Compared with Nordmann fir: needles in an open comb, with a V-shaped parting along the top of the twig.
- Nordmann fir
- The popular Christmas tree: dense, glossy dark green needles that don’t prick.
- Compared with European silver fir: more densely packed, glossy needles that cover the top of the twig.
| European silver fir | Nordmann fir | |
|---|---|---|
| Needles | Needles 1.5–3 cm, flat and soft with a blunt or notched tip; two white stripes underneath. They are arranged in two rows to the sides (comb-like). The base is widened like a little sucker and leaves a round scar on a smooth twig. | Needles 2–3.5 cm, flat, glossy dark green, with two white stripes underneath. They are dense, point forwards and cover the top of the twig. |
| Flowering | – | – |
| Cones and seeds | Upright cones 10–15 cm that break up on the tree; only the central spike remains. | Upright cones 12–20 cm that break up on the tree. |
| Bark | Smooth and silver-grey, in small plates on old trees. | Grey, smooth for a long time, later finely cracked. |
| Shape and height | Conifer, 30–50 m | Conifer, 25–40 m |
| Site | Partial shade or shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Little | Little |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | August–September | August–September |
What does it mean for your garden?
- European silver fir (30–50 m) and Nordmann fir (25–40 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: European silver fir
- Plant profile: Nordmann fir
- European silver fir: when and how to prune
- Nordmann fir: when and how to prune
- Identification key: the question that separates them
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.