Abies koreana Tundra - Korean Fir

Abies koreana 'Tundra', a variety of miniature Korean fir, forms a nearly perfect round and spreading cushion covered with very dense and tender green foliage throughout the year. Its needles are wide, short and shiny, with a silver underside, and soft to the touch. In spring, its small brown and prominent buds located at the end of the branches bring colour to the foliage. With its very slow growth and small size, this variety requires no maintenance and just assumes its role as a plant decoration in small gardens, rock gardens, or pots, in well-drained, moist soil, sheltered from scorching sun.

The Korean fir is a conifer of the pinaceae family, originating only from the mountains of the extreme south of Korea, becoming rare in its own country. This small conifer reaches a height of 6 to 9 m (20 to 29ft) in its natural environment and has a compact habit. The cultivar 'Tundra' represents a miniature of this species. It will not exceed 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16in) in height and 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20in) in diameter, after many years as it only grows 3 cm (1in) per year. It has a compact, perfectly rounded habit, and forms almost a carpet, composed of branches where wide and flexible radiating needles, tender green on the top and silver on the underside, grow. Its small spring buds crown its foliage with a velvety brown texture.

Abies koreana 'Tundra' is ideal for container cultivation on a terrace or in small gardens thanks to its slow growth and small size. With its dense cushion silhouette, requiring no pruning, it will work well in your rock gardens, especially if planted in groups of 3 plants. The architectural qualities of dwarf conifers naturally stand out in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes and textures over flowers. These plants with strong personalities and reassuring permanence structurally enhance a bed, mark pathways and border terraces, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood. They serve as a backdrop for roses, peonies, or wild grasses with complementary shapes, which in return will showcase their intensity. They can also be associated with ground cover plants such as aubrietas or cerastiums, and flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.