Introduced by John Fraser in 1811 from the USA, this stately evergreen can reach up to 15 metres in the UK with a spread of about 8 metres.

The biggest recorded in its native environment has reached 30 metres tall by 17 metres wide. Its pyramidal habit and dark shiny leaves, which have two silver bands on their underside, make it the Christmas Tree of choice in many south eastern states of America but it has always been third to the Norway Spruce and the Nordmann Fir over here.

It grows well on most free draining soils and produces small purple tinged cones that mature to dark brown.

The leaves are only about 1.5cm long and in our experience of growing them in East Anglia they can extend growth of up to 40cm per year.

Mature height: 10-15m

Mature spread: 6-10m