an imposing-looking evergreen conifer, widespread in Europe and North America, in nature it can reach even 40-45 meters in height; the fir which is most often used as a Christmas tree. It has a conical, compact, dark green foliage; the needles are quite small, gathered in hanging cones; the dark and wrinkled bark produces scented resin. This conifer is widely used as bonsai, together with the varieties P. Abies ‘little gem’ nana, and P. glauca albertiana conica, with a particularly compact crown. Bonsai conifers involve a certain effort in getting into shape, not always advisable for a beginner; it does not present particular cultivation problems.

it is pruned at the end of winter, in February, usually trying to create well-defined stages that give movement to the compact crown, obviously the major pruning depends a lot on the chosen style. During the growing season it is good to trim the longest shoots with your fingers, shortening them to a third of their length. The wire can be used all year round.

Fir trees love a bright location, even in full sun, in all seasons, although it is advisable to shade them on the hottest summer days, to avoid excessive drying. The younger specimens should be sheltered from the intense winter frost with non-woven fabric on the pot and on the roots.

Watering: wait for the soil to dry slightly between one watering and the other, in summer watering quite abundantly, vaporizing the foliage with distilled water. During the growing season, add bonsai fertilizer to the watering water every 10-15 days.

Land: it does not have particular soil requirements, as long as it is well drained; an ideal soil can be prepared by mixing one part of peat, three parts of sand and two parts of clay. It is usually repotted every two years, possibly in March. Multiplication: occurs by seed, which must be harvested at the beginning of autumn and sown in spring. During the winter they are kept in containers filled with sand, to prevent them from getting damp and moldy. In spring, semi-woody cuttings can also be taken, to be rooted in a mixture of sand and peat. Pests and diseases: sometimes woolly aphids affect young shoots. If the climate is very dry it can also be attacked by red spider mites; generally for the fir a plant that is not attacked by parasites and diseases.