
Grow a Living Christmas Tree / Seed Set
About Balsam Fir
The most aromatic and cold-hardy of all true firs, Balsam Fir grows in a vast range in the Northeast United States and throughout Canada, doing best in cool climates with abundant moisture. Still, it can thrive in a wide array of settings and soil types, from sea level to over 6,000 feet in elevation.
A small to medium-sized tree, Balsam Fir features short, blunt needles in a bluish-green color, and, when mature, produces vertical 2- to 4-inch radiantly purple cones in its crown. Balsam Firs grow to a maximum height of around 100 feet tall, but are usually considerably shorter. They grow in a neat, pyramidal form with a dense crown that terminates in a slender spire. The most widely distributed and least fire-resistant fir in North America, Balsam Firs are wrapped in thin, ash-gray bark punctuated by numerous blisters filled with sticky, fragrant, liquid resin.
Many animals -- from Moose to birds -- rely on Balsam Fir for food and shelter, and the resin has been used by humans for everything from pulmonary medicine to canoe sealant to deodorant to a specialized microscope slide cover glue used in the optics industry. This species is shade tolerant, has a relatively shallow root system (roots typically reach no lower than 3 feet), and can live for 200 years.
About Balsam Fir- Give a gift of Christmas Future!
- Includes everything needed to germinate a tree from seed: seeds, growing medium, a mini-greenhouse, and detailed instructions
- 100% guaranteed: If your seed fails to germinate or your seedling perishes, we are happy to provide free replacement seed