Types And Identification Of The Fir Trees

Most of the cut conifers sold as Christmas trees are nothing, but fir trees. They belong to the family Pinaceae, and classified under the genus name Abies. Sharing taxonomic plant family with the pines, there are about 48-55 fir trees types. Nearly all the varieties have short needles, measuring a few inches in length. These evergreen trees are prized for their adorable, pyramid like canopy shape. One of the interesting fir trees facts is that the evergreen foliage is retained for more than 5 years before shedding. They are fast growing evergreen trees, adapted in moist, well-drained soil, and areas with cool summer temperatures.

Fir Trees - Types and Identification

There are two characteristic features that help in fir tree identification. The first is the presence of a small-sized suction cup at the base of the needle leaf that connects it with the twig, and secondly the development of erect and cylindrical shaped cones. The purplish female cones are developed in the topmost branches below which has the green, pendant shaped male cones. The female cones after fertilization ripens and breaks open in autumn to release seeds. Popular fir trees types that are grown as houseplants or specimen trees are discussed below.

Noble Fir Trees
These are tall fir tree types that can grow to as high as 200 feet, and 5 feet diameter. In fact, they are the largest varieties of all true fir species. The leaves are silvery green in color and ranges from 1-1 ½ inch in length. The high popularity of noble firs (Abies procera) as Christmas trees is attributed to long-lasting leaves that retain for a longer period, even in cut trees. They are also used for making outdoor wreaths and garlands.

Fraser Fir Trees
These fir trees types (Abies fraseri) are named after the renowned botanist, John Fraser who have studied them in detail. The adult trees at maturity grow to about 80 feet. The needle leaves are flattened, ½ to 1 inch long, dark green in color, possesses strong fragrance and arranged spirally in the branches. The distinctive features of these landscaping trees are their small size and upward directing branches.

Douglas Fir Trees
Can you believe the Douglas fir trees live for more than 1000 years? Yes, these highly fragrant, Christmas trees survive for 500 years and more on an average. They are not true firs, hence the scientific name for these evergreen trees is Pseudotsuga menziesii. The foliage is flat, bluish-green in color and measure about 1 to 1 ½ inch in length. Distinctive features include forked bracts, winged seeds and furrowed barks.

Balsam Fir Trees
Balsam fir trees (Abies balsamea) or blister firs are native to the cool regions of North America and Northeastern America. The leaves are ¾ to 1 ½ inch length, and barks of young trees have conspicuous resin blisters. These evergreen trees attain a height of about 15-60 feet at maturity, with a spread of about 25-30 feet. These fir trees types are common Christmas trees, especially in Northeastern America.

Grand Fir Trees
Also called giant fir trees, they are represented by the scientific name, Abies grandis. The common name is coined with reference to its height, which measures about 300 feet. They are easily identifiable from other types of fir trees by their lustrous green, needle-shaped leaves, arranged in two rows in a single plane. When crushed, the leaves give a citrus scent. Giant firs are planted as ornamental trees in formal gardens and large public parks.

If you have a fir tree at home, check the leaf scars left on the twigs after you pick the needles. Nearly all fir trees types are economically important for production of aromatic oils, herbal medicine and paper. Though the wood of these coniferous trees is valuable for making rough timber and plywood, it doesn't meet the qualities of a good timber.

How Plans Fight Diseases

Scientists have shed new light on how plants fight diseases caused by bacterial pathogens.  Plants are like all other living things in that they are susceptible to disease. Generally this type of plant is quite hearty when cared for properly and is only typically susceptible to a couple of different types of diseases. If you know what the diseases are and what to look for, you can usually catch the disease early on so it can be treated as quickly as possible. The more quickly the rubber plants disease is treated the less likely it is to affect the plant long term.

Oedema is one type of rubber plants disease.  This is a disease that comes about when the roots of the plant soak up water faster than the water can be used by the plant.  What happens is that the root structures fill with water and the water pressure builds up in the cells of the leaf, which causes the leaves to look blistered.   

Oedema will often look like blisters on the plant.  They may start out the same color as the rest of the plant but then change to a more hardened form and turn white, tan or brown and even take on an almost wart like appearance.  Usually if the problem is not treated the leaves will begin to drop off the plant, the plant will begin to look weak, and then it will stop growing all together.  This disease is almost always seen in the later parts of the winter, but may also occur when the soil the plants are in is warm and wet and the air is cool and moist as well. 

"Some scientists have shown that these proteins block signaling transduction pathways in the plant, which eventually weakens plant immunity. We are introducing a fresh perspective on this topic, namely, that the pathogens evolved strategies to directly attack the production of plant antimicrobial compounds, such as isoflavones, thus compromising the plant''s defense mechanism," said Ma.

Once affected it can be hard to reverse the effects of Oedema.  To avoid it, the plants should be kept in places where the relative humidity is below 70% during the winter months.  Plants should be spaced further apart if this is a continuing problem to allow for more air flow.  Most plants may suffer during the winter months but then recover in the spring and summer months due to better water absorption. 

Rubber plants are also susceptible to powdery mildews.  Some plants are able to withstand the mildew but the weaker ones may actually stop growing and even begin to die.  The mildew usually appears on the plant as a gray or white power that coats some or all of the parts of the plant.  The spots often start out as small spots that will eventually overtake most, if not all, of the surface of the plant.

First, the pathogens inject virulence bacterial proteins, called HopZ1, through needle-like conduits into the plant cells. These proteins then largely reduce the production of the isoflavones and promote disease development.

However, by sensing the presence of HopZ1, the plants mount a robust resistance against the pathogen, including the production of a very high amount of isoflavones. At this point, the pathogen must come up with new strategies by either changing the kind of proteins it injects into the plant, not injecting any proteins at all, or injecting virulence proteins in a way that helps them escape detection by the plant. In this way, the virulence bacterial proteins and the plant host engage in an endless "arms race."

Chatillon Rose

There are many kinds of roses and different colors, rose represents the romance. Chatillon Rose is a delicate and romantic polyantha that comes all the way from France. Introduced by a French nurseryman named Auguste Nonin in 1928, Chatillon Rose comes from a class of roses that traces its origins to the rose known as R. multiflora 'Polyantha'.

 

Rose expert Bob Martin advised me that "The first polyantha was produced without pollination from sowing seeds of the mysterious rosa multiflora polyantha." I have found that polyanthas are generally very hardy plants that continually produce large clusters of small blooms, and Chatillon Rose is no exception. As a matter of fact "many blooms" is what the Greek word polyantha means. A very popular class of roses from the first half of the last century, they were also called "poly-poms" by the British.

 

Chatillon Rose in particular has many appealing attributes. It is known for making enormous sprays of lighter than air pink blossoms, which give the impression of flocks of little butterflies. Its flowers are bright medium pink, and the center of each bloom is white with a warm glow of rich yellow stamens. These delicate blooms are bountifully clothed in attractive, medium green foliage on a vigorous upright plant.

By way of growth habit, Chatillon Rose is extremely vigorous and tends to grow larger than many polyantha plants. It produces great masses of flowers, especially if the spent blooms are deadheaded away regularly. Have no doubt that the abundance of blooms will be a fine reward for any deadheading you perform. Since this rose flowers and reblooms so profusely, it is an excellent choice to plant in beds, low hedges and mass plantings, and will provide color and fragrance in the garden throughout most of the year. It is also a splendid plant for containers, and makes a bright splash of color wherever it is planted.

 

Like most polyanthas, Chatillon Rose blooms profusely on new canes that emerge from or close to the ground as well as on old canes. This tendency to have a number of canes and stems at different stages of maturity at the same time is common among polyanthas, and ensures a steady and reliable rebloom factor. This ever-blooming characteristic, known as remontance, combined with hardiness and disease resistance, makes Chatillon Rose a perfect choice for the home garden.

 

Since the 1930's, many new polyanthas have been introduced and classified as shrubs and miniatures, and thus have been more difficult to identify in commerce, while their larger and more spectacular offspring, the floribundas have made a large splash in the marketplace. However, many wonderful p olyanthas continue to be grown and sold, although they are more likely to be found in smaller, boutique nurseries that specialize in antique roses than in the bigger, more commercial venues. Therefore, Chatillon Rose is not widely available commercially at this time.

 

Polyanthas also make wonderful exhibition roses, and classes can be found in most rose shows for polyantha sprays and often three polyantha sprays. Chatillon Rose is a polyantha that does well on the trophy table. See the photo of the beautiful, award-winning spray shown by top Southern California exhibitors, Ron & Modine Gregory, at the 2004 San Diego National Show in San Diego (photo by our multi-talented webmaster, Glenn Fiery).

 

Most polyanthas, including Chatillon Rose, are similar to floribundas in that they produce many small canes and clusters of small blooms, which are under two inches in width. It is no surprise to learn that they are the forerunners to the floribunda roses, which were bred from polyanthas and hybrid teas, and which enjoy such popularity today.

 

Chatillon Rose, like most polyantha roses, is hardy, undemanding and easy to grow. It is therefore a good variety for beginners, since it does not require a lot of effort and attention. It is colorful, fragrant, disease-resistant and floriferous, making it an all-around delightful cultivar.

In conclusion, if you're a modern rose grower who is longing for a nostalgic, turn of the century garden, polyanthas like Chatillon Rose can reward you with the beauty and charm of yesteryear. Let a stroll through your garden take you back to the romance of the past with Chatillon Rose!