Looks great place! I can only imaging being employed by a place like that.

I am most impressed with the pic titled:

Pinus x schwerinii âÂÂWiethorstâ is available in three different sizes, as are many selections.

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this type of pic should be in every plant description ... including how old the big one is ...

for the novice.. it truly shows the potential of that little one gallon plant ...

what i dont get.. is why the little one makes me happier than the larger ones??? ... maybe i have trained myself to SEE potential ... over instant gratification????

ken

ps: could you explain what this means?: Rare Tree also carries large, âÂÂspecimenâ plants, some of which are mountain-dug. >>>>> never heard that term before ....

Wow wow wow wow wow wow wow

The pics are superb and I imagine it must have been an existential moment being there in person!

i know.. if it were in MI .. it would be a blues brothers moment.. and i would pic up jon doe on the way ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

'Mountain Dug' is the term for specimens (large unique individual plants) that are literally hand dug from wild sites. They are all legit - no poaching or thievery - and there are guys who specialize in doing this. Many are twisted and weirdly shaped - lots of mountainous pine types, for example. I didn't include any photos because the photos just don't do them justice because they are not shown again solid backgrounds, etc. It is a way to get really interesting specimens for special locations, many of which are commercial or estate-types.

And Ken, which Blues Brother are you? I always wondered what you looked like!

Sara

I'd be down with that, Ken lol

Are you the other Blues Brother? And would the 'blues' be Picea pungens or maybe Abies concolor?

Ok, I must have missed something. Are ALL the firs on firma? I don't remember anyone saying that.

Wait a minute:

"The quality at Rare Tree/Conifer Kingdom begins with their careful choice of understocks. Brent explains, âÂÂFor example, with firs weâÂÂre using Abies firma as our rootstock for a broad range of hardiness. This even allows firs to excel in the heat and humidity of the Southeast. TheyâÂÂve never been able to grow firs down there, but with Abies firma as the rootstock, there is a very good chance that they will thrive.âÂÂ"

Conifer Kingdom grafts firs on A. firma??? Why wasn't I informed??

Well heck, now I'm going to have to spend some money.

would the 'blues' be Picea pungens or maybe Abies concolor

=>> answer your own question ...

i am more reminiscent of a grapefruit than a surgical scalpel .. lol ...

ken

ps: and i dont mean a big bulbous squishy pockmarked head ....

So for kicks, I emailed Brent @ CK about the A. firma rootstocks. He emailed me a pdf file of all their firs they currently have for sale with the rootstocks. Only one is available on firma as of today, Abies procera âÂÂBlaue HexeâÂÂ. Brent said in his email they just started grafting them (about 50% of new grafts are on firma per his email). However a lot of his existing stock is on Abies bornmuelleriana, and a decent amount on nordmanniana as well, both of which are probably satisfactory at least for my area, although perhaps not much further south than me. A few were listed as âÂÂnord or balsameaâ so those are a crapshoot, but there are plenty on bornmuelleriana and nordmanniana that he currently has in stock.

In MD since Nordmann seems to be one of the better âÂÂspeciesâ firs from what some around here have said, IâÂÂm OK with that or Abies bornmuelleriana (basically a more heat/drought tolerant variant or subspecies of nordmann from what I understand) as rootstocks.

Yes I just tweaked the language to reflect the A. firma grafting just beginning. Hairmetal you better start saving up...

Sara

Sara,

Thanks, that's an excellent tour!

When I think of mountain dug conifers, trees like this one come to mind. It's a Picea pungens, estimated 600 years old. I agree, pictures don't do them justice!

Nate

Only if that tree could talk... I would love to have something like that here in my garden!

That's encouraging on the firma rootstocks, not only for me where it will still be a major crapshoot whatever the roots, but really for everyone. It seems to be impervious to disease and wet/hot soil.

sluice what a tree! Truly one of a kind.

Sounds like a lot of folks are going to be chomping at the bit for those A. firma rootstock plants! Brent better up his numbers...

Sara

Mountain dug around here are sometimes called 'Rustics'.
They are usually Abies lasiocarpa and Tsuga mertensiana.
Mike

Another finely written article Sara ! muchas Kudos !

That nursery rocks...what a place!

Al

Thx Al! You'd love the nursery. Maybe a West coast trip is in order?

Sara

Really enjoyed the article along with the Conifer Kingdom site. Lots of original material to read and see in both cases. I'm surprised to have missed them in the past, it might not be a stretch to place them in the top five American conifer websites.

Thx Skeena and yes we agree - his site is great. Sam takes stunning photos and knows how to use them!