Canaan fir (ka-naan) develops into a handsome dense, pyramidal shaped conifer. Makes a lovely conifer for residential planting. Plant it as a specimen in a cluster or use it for a hedge or windbreak. Also widely used as a Christmas tree. Canaan fir is considered a variety of the closely related Balsam fir.
Ornamental features:
- Foliage is lustrous dark green to bluish green with silvery bands on the underside of the needles.
- Short ¾ to 1” soft upward curving needles line the upper side of the twigs.
- Develops full pyramidal form with little shearing.
Wildlife value:
- Provides winter shelter for wildlife. Seeds eaten by small mammals and some birds.
Horticulture profile:
- Zone 3 to 7
- Grows 40 to 55 ft Tall x 20 to 25 ft wide.
- Medium growth rate, 1 to 2 ft per year.
- Prefers well-drained slightly acidic soils.
- More tolerant of moist soils and heavy clay than most firs.
- Delayed bud break protects Canaan from late frosts.
- Full sun to half shade.
- Native to isolated high elevation pockets in West Virginia and Virginia.