Like the Nutcracker Prince vanquishing the Mouse King, the Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana) has emerged triumphant in the battle of the Christmas trees. Ever since Prince Albert introduced the German custom of bringing a tree indoors and decorating it, Norway spruce (Picea abies) was the Christmas tree of choice but gradually, the Nordmann fir has taken the crown. It hasn’t got the same Christmassy aroma as the traditional spruce, but it has won fans everywhere thanks to its superior needle-retaining qualities and bushy shape – a joy to bedeck with baubles.
Let loose in the garden however, will ultimately grow into quite a large conifer, eventually reaching upwards of 20m, so it may not be the most sensible choice for those with smaller gardens. But there is more to the genus than the species that’s come to be associated with Christmas, with different shapes and habits, as well as needle colours, to add layers of evergreen texture to the garden in winter and all-year-round.
