Abies alba - European silver fir

Native to the mountains of Central and Southern Europe the European silver fir is the Christmas tree praised in the traditional German Christmas carol "O Tannenbaum". Dense foliage and an even growth habit have made it a popular ornamental tree in Central European parks and gardens.

However, it is not fully hardy in Arboretum Mustila nor elsewhere in Finland. On the Southwest coast it may reach timber size but even there plantations have suffered from frost or have been completely destroyed during the coldest winters. Only a minority of the European silver firs planted in Mustila during 1930's have survived the worst frosts of the past decades.

The European silver fir stands in Mustila are presently rather attractive and produce an abundance of cones almost every year.