Nordmann Fir Christmas Tree Bare Root - Abies Nordmanniana
The Nordmann Fir is widely regarded as the ultimate Christmas tree, prized for its perfect pyramidal shape, lush dark green foliage, and excellent needle retention. But this magnificent evergreen conifer isn't just for the festive season – it makes a superb specimen tree for larger gardens, creating year-round structure and elegance. With its soft, non-prickly needles and symmetrical growth habit, Nordmann Fir is equally at home as a garden centrepiece or grown in a container for annual Christmas celebrations. This is the tree that keeps on giving, providing beauty and presence for decades to come.
Key Features
- Height & Spread: Ultimately reaches 15-25 metres tall with a spread of 5-8 metres (but slow-growing)
- Hardiness: Fully hardy (RHS H7) – tolerates temperatures well below -20°C
- Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
- Aspect: Full sun to partial shade
- Growth Rate: Slow to moderate (20-30cm per year), making it manageable
What to Expect
Year-Round Elegance Dense, glossy dark green needles with attractive silvery undersides create a luxurious appearance throughout the year. The naturally symmetrical, conical shape requires no pruning to maintain its perfect Christmas tree form.
Soft, Family-Friendly Foliage Unlike many conifers, Nordmann Fir has soft, non-prickly needles that are pleasant to touch – a major advantage if you're using it as a living Christmas tree or have children who play nearby.
Excellent Needle Retention Even when cut, Nordmann Fir retains its needles far better than most conifers, which is why it's the professional grower's choice for Christmas trees. As a living tree, the foliage remains pristine and fresh-looking year-round.
Majestic Maturity While young trees have that classic Christmas tree shape, mature specimens develop into impressive, statuesque conifers with upward-sweeping branches and attractive reddish-brown bark.
Ideal Uses
- Living Christmas tree – plant in the garden or grow in a large container
- Specimen tree for lawns or prominent positions
- Screening and privacy – provides year-round evergreen cover
- Windbreaks in larger gardens or rural properties
- Formal gardens – elegant architectural presence
- Avenue planting in parkland or large estates
- Wildlife habitat – provides shelter and cover
Growing as a Living Christmas Tree
One of the joys of Nordmann Fir is that you can use the same tree year after year:
Container Growing
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Plant in a large container (at least 50cm diameter) with loam-based compost
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Keep well-watered throughout the year
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Bring indoors for 7-10 days maximum during Christmas
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Decorate with LED lights only (traditional lights generate too much heat)
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Return outside gradually, acclimatising over a few days
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Repot every 2-3 years or when roots become congested
Planted in the Garden
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Allow the tree to grow naturally in the garden
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Can still be decorated outdoors with weather-resistant lights
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Enjoy watching your Christmas tree grow year after year
Planting & Care
Planting Your Bare Root Plant between November and March whilst dormant. Soak roots thoroughly in water for 3-4 hours before planting. Dig a hole 2-3 times the width of the root system. Mix the excavated soil with ericaceous compost if your soil is alkaline. Position so the soil mark on the stem sits at ground level – never bury the trunk. Firm in well and water generously.
Staking Young trees benefit from staking for the first 2-3 years. Use a sturdy stake and adjustable tree tie, checking regularly that it's not too tight as the trunk expands.
Initial Care
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Water regularly and deeply during the first two growing seasons, particularly in dry spells
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Nordmann Fir dislikes drought when young, so consistent moisture is crucial
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Apply an ericaceous mulch around the base to retain moisture and maintain slightly acidic conditions
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Protect from rabbits and deer with a tree guard if necessary
Long-term Maintenance
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Water during prolonged dry periods, especially when young
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Feed annually in spring with an ericaceous fertiliser
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No pruning required – the tree naturally maintains its shape
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Remove any dead or damaged branches as needed
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Keep the base clear of competing weeds and grass
Growing Conditions
Soil Requirements Prefers moist, well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Dislikes shallow chalk, heavy clay that becomes waterlogged, or very dry sandy soils. If your soil is alkaline, incorporate plenty of ericaceous compost at planting and use ericaceous feed annually.
Sun & Shade Best growth and form occur in full sun, but Nordmann Fir tolerates partial shade. Avoid deep shade as this can cause the tree to become thin and leggy.
Space Requirements This is a substantial tree at maturity. Plant at least 8-10 metres from buildings and consider the eventual height when positioning. However, the slow growth rate means you'll enjoy many years before it reaches full size.
Climate Nordmann Fir originates from mountainous regions and appreciates cool, moist conditions. It grows particularly well in northern and western Britain where rainfall is higher.
Why Choose Nordmann Fir?
If you want the ultimate Christmas tree experience combined with a magnificent garden specimen, Nordmann Fir is unbeatable. The soft needles make it genuinely pleasant to handle and decorate, whilst the superior needle retention means you're not constantly vacuuming up dropped needles.
Growing your own Christmas tree creates a wonderful family tradition and is far more sustainable than buying a cut tree annually. Watching your tree grow throughout the year, then celebrating with it each Christmas, creates a special connection and lasting memories.
Even if you're not interested in Christmas trees, Nordmann Fir makes an exceptional evergreen specimen with aristocratic bearing. The symmetrical form and lush foliage provide year-round structure, whilst the slow growth means it won't quickly outgrow its space like some conifers.
The dense foliage provides excellent screening and creates valuable habitat for garden birds, particularly during winter when they appreciate the shelter.
Perfect for: Families wanting a living Christmas tree tradition, larger gardens needing an elegant evergreen specimen, screening and privacy, formal garden settings, wildlife-friendly planting, and gardeners seeking a slow-growing, manageable conifer with year-round appeal.
Sustainability Note: Growing your own Christmas tree is an environmentally friendly choice, avoiding the need for annual cut trees whilst providing year-round benefits to your garden ecosystem.
Top Tip: If growing as a Christmas tree, resist the temptation to keep it indoors for more than 10 days. The warm, dry indoor environment can stress the tree, but short visits indoors over many years keep it healthy and thriving.
Please see our bare root plant guides for more information. We've put together a collect of help and advice articles covering what bare root plants are, why they are a good choice, which plants are available bare root, when and where to plant.
Bare Root is usually dispatched between early November and late March. Exact dates vary year to year depending on the weather. We cannot guarantee availability for a certain date at the beginning or end of the season.
Important Bare Root Care
As soon as you receive your bare root plants place the items upright in a bucket of clean water immediately leaving them for at least 2 hours. Only take plants out as you need them for planting.
Q: When is bare root season?
A: Our bare root season usually runs from November to March but it can depend on the weather conditions, we'd always recommend buying at the end of autumn rather than waiting for spring.
Q: Does the plant size include the roots?
A: No, all bare root plant sizes quoted exclude the roots.
Q: What size plants will I receive?
A: Stock size varies through the season, our 'Plant Size' are give as a guide and you will receive plants somewhere in that range. We are unable to specify exactly how tall the plants will be within that range.
Q: How old will the plants be?
A: Most of our 'Plant Sizes' include the age of the plant, this is shown as a sum e.g. 1+2 which in this case would indicate that the plants are 3 years old. The first number is how long the plant has spent in the seedbed and the second is the number of year it has spent lined out in the field. Where the sum starts with a 0+ this indicates that the plants were grown from a rooted cutting.
Q: Can I get a discount for bulk purchases?
A: We offer a discount banding on bare root plants making them cheaper the more you buy, see the table on each page for details of the price within each band.
Q: Do I need canes?
A: Bamboo canes are perfect for giving young saplings, hedging plants, climbers and other tall shrubs the support they need when they start to establish. Unless you are planting in a completely sheltered spot with very little chance of wind then we would always recommend using a cane for support.
Q: Do I need rabbit guards?
A: Spiral Rabbit Guards are the most popular, low cost tree protection for young saplings, seedlings, transplants and hedging plants from browsing animals such as voles, mice, rabbits and hares. Spiral Rabbit Guards have the ability to grow and expand with the growing tree, providing a sheltered environment for the tree. It's hard to say for certain if you will require the extra protection a rabbit guard provides, if your are aware of a particular pest problem in your planting location then we would recommend using them. Rabbit Guards are not suitable for 'evergreens' please see 'Shrub Shelters' for a suitable evergreen protection method.
Q: What is a shrub/tree shelter?
A: Shrub/Tree Shelters are similar to rabbit guards but are designed for use on evergreens that would sweat and die in rabbit guards. We supply shrub/tree shelters as a kit which includes the shelter, 1 Stake and 2 cable ties, one kit is required per plant.
Q: Do I need shrub/tree shelters?
A: If you are aware of any specific pest problems in your planting area then we would recommend using a shrub/tree shelter to give your young trees or hedging plants that extra protection.
| Plant Size | Availability | Price | ||
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In stock
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£3.41 |