This nice Abies fir broom cultivar, ‘Topper’, was labeled “PNW” (Pacific NorthWest) because the tree was nearly dead with missing needles and dead branches, making it difficult to identify. The broom was the only viable looking part of the tree when we discovered and harvested this fir broom. We thought it may be an Abies amabilis broom since there were many amabilis growing in the area. But since we could not conclusively confirm the identity, we labelled it “PNW”, along with another Abies fir cultivar ‘Pacific Pearls’, with similar circumstances. The ‘Topper’ broom had a beautiful miniature tree configuration, situated on the top of the tree, like a Christmas tree ornament. Only a few grafts survived, probably because the broom itself was also in the process of dying. When we returned the following spring, there was not a needle remaining on the tree!
