We were up in the Mt Hood region with our goal to obtain a piece of Abies procera ‘Mt Hood Summit’ but the weather was not cooperating, with rain and high winds! After several unsuccessful attempts to retrieve some scions, we decided to travel the side roads while waiting for the weather to settle down, and found this very cute little Pacific silver fir broom, our 16th Abies amabilis broom! Thus, it’s name, Abies amabilis ‘Sweet 16’! And remarkably within reach, about 6 feet overhead! It appears to be about 5 or 6 years old, with a growth rate of 3/4 to 1 inch per year, and measuring about 10 x 10 inches in width and about 4 inches in height! Neat, sweet, petite!
Mike spotted this very small Abies amabilis broom! Since it was raining, Cheryl lost the coin toss to fetch it, while Mike got to take the photos!Got ya!Abies amabilis cultivar ‘Sweet 16’! Neat, sweet, petite!Abies amabilis cultivar ‘Sweet 16’! Side view!
This Western larch broom, Larix occidentalis ‘Cascade Cloud’, was discovered by Mike & Cheryl in 2014 and was finally harvested in November 2019. It took a while to figure out how to retrieve it since it was more than 75 feet high! This find is the first of 2 Larix occidentalis brooms that we found, up in the Cascade Mountain range at an elevation between 5000-6000 ft. This is significant because as noted in the American Conifer Society, there are very few cultivars of Western larch, other than Larix occidentalis ‘Bollinger’ which was a Jerry Morris broom discovered in the 1990’s! We were able to access this broom last November 2018, and grafted some scions, all of which pushed beautifully within a few weeks! We brought them out of the greenhouse in the Spring and we were dismayed that within a month, all of the needles turned yellow and fell off. We discarded most of the grafts with plans to try again in 2019. Much to our surprise, a few weeks later, the grafts that we kept, and the understock, started pushing again! We realized that while in the greenhouse for several months, the temperature never was below 50 degrees (They share space with an orchid collection). And when the grafts were placed outside in the Spring, subjected to the cool nighttime temperatures in the upper 30’s, they responded as though winter was approaching and dropped their needles. Fortunately they pushed again as the outside temperatures warmed up and they are doing great! The second broom we found, up in the Cascade Mountain range of Washington, is Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’, which has not yet been harvested or grafted, and already snowed out for 2019 due to early winter in the mountains!
Larix occidentalis ‘Cascade Cloud’up in the clouds!Larix occidentalis ‘Cascade Cloud’, first shot! Larix occidentalis ‘Cascade Cloud’ pushing
This Abies amabilis ‘Pacific Crest’ is a Pacific silver fir broom that was discovered on Stampede Pass near the Pacific Crest Trail. We harvested it in early March 2018 during a snow storm. We were able to access the location by snow mobile and later learned that there were avalanches and warnings which explains why there were no other snow mobiles on the trail! ‘Pacific Crest’ is an exciting new cultivar! Not only is it beautiful and vigorous, but also there are very few Abies amabilis (Pacific silver fir) cultivars in existence, and the 2 notable cultivars (‘Compacta’ & ‘Spreading Star’) described on the American Conifer Society website originated as seedlings rather than brooms!
Abies amabilis ‘Pacific Crest’ harvest during a snow storm!Abies amabilis ‘Pacific Crest’ broom just harvested. Abies amabilis ‘Pacific Crest’ scion pushingAbies amabilis ‘Pacific Crest’ scion pushing with multiple buds!
Abies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’ is a Pacific silver fir broom located near Snoqualmie Pass in the Cascade mountain range and inaccessible once the snow falls! It was harvested on November 10, 2019 on the way back from an overnight trip to Seattle. The broom is flat and saucer shaped, measuring 27 inches in width and 4 inches high. The growth rate is 1/2 to 1 inch per year.
Abies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’, flat and saucer shaped. Abies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’ broom, posing for future landscape placement!Abies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’ broomAbies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’ broom, saucer shaped and flat Abies amabilis ‘Snoqualmie Pass’ first summer, 2020
The Abies amabilis ‘Stellar’ cultivar is from a tiny Pacific silver fir broom that was discovered on November 3, 2019 while harvesting others for grafting season, including Abies amabilis ‘Pulsar’! It has a very dense and healthy growth pattern! It was about the size of a softball! The above photo of ‘Stellar’ is 2 years old, grafted in November 2019! It has numerous buds for next Spring!
Tiny Abies amabilis broom, ‘Stellar’!Is that a broom???????? Spotted this tiny dense broom while on our harvesting expedition of Abies amabilis ‘Pulsar’ in November 2019.Abies amabilis ‘Stellar’Abies amabilis ‘Stellar’ new graft, Summer 2020
This Larix occidentalis broom, ‘Stratosphere’ was discovered high in the Cascade Mountains, at an elevation close to 6000 ft. The area was previously logged but fortunately the loggers left this one for the Coneheads! This cool Western larch cultivar also produces cones! We planned to tackle this one in the late fall of 2019 but we were snowed out by early winter. So November 2020, success! At least getting some scions! Now the true test…whether the new grafts push in the Spring! And we need to not repeat the mistake we made with our other Larix occidentalis ‘Cascade Cloud’…!
Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’ sky-high
Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’
‘Stratosphere’…Hmm! That’s going to be a challenge!
Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’ showing branching pattern and cones!
Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’ first graft, November 2020Larix occidentalis ‘Stratosphere’ spring 2022
This Tsuga heterophylla Western hemlock broom cultivar, ‘Medusa’, was discovered while hiking near White Pass in the summer of 2017 but has not yet been propagated. We attempted to hike in last winter but the snow was too deep. The broom is about 15 feet wide and about 1-2 feet tall. It has a beautiful deep dark green color, an irregular form, and produces cones! We are planning to attempt rooting cuttings in the late fall of 2019.
Tsuga heterophylla ‘Medusa’ Tsuga heterophylla ‘Medusa’ viewed from below
Abies procera ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is a new cultivar of a Noble fir broom. It was found by Mike & Cheryl Davison at White Pass in the Cascade Mountain range. Others have said that this cultivar rivals Abies procera ‘Blaue Hexe’ because of its beauty, vigorous nature, and it is more easily propagated. It is a vibrant powdery blue color with dense foliage, and vigorous budding along the length of the scions.
Abies procera ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ broom photo
Most of the well known Noble fir cultivars in the industry arise from seedlings discovered in Christmas tree farms whereas the origin of this cultivar is from a bud mutation which formed a broom.
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ bud mutation broom arising from a Noble fir in the PNW Cascade Mountain range.
We snowshoed in uphill nearly 2 miles to retrieve the broom in February 2018, and the downhill trip back was much more enjoyable! We also retrieved more scions from a colorful Doug fir specimen, Pseudotsuga menziesii ‘Harlequin’ on the same trail on the same trip. ‘Harlequin’ was also grafted successfully in the fall of 2017!
Mike Davison harvesting ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ broom at White Pass WA in the CascadesAbies procera ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ scion with vigorous new growthAbies procera ‘Rhapsody in Blue’
This Abies concolor white fir broom cultivar was discovered at the Tahoma Cemetery in Yakima Washington. It is unusual for a concolor broom in that it is more green than blue.
The foliage is more green than the classic blue color of Abies concolor.Close up of Abies concolor ‘Tahoma’ with green coloration.A scion pushing, Abies concolor ‘Tahoma’Abies concolor ‘Tahoma’ Spring push 2020Abies concolor ‘Tahoma’ Summer 2020, nice color
Abies concolor ‘Hoop-dee-doo’ was found at Fisher Golf Course in Yakima Washington. Intense blue color with emerging needles in a “hoop-like” curly pattern. Named after the cheery song of the same name, sung by Perry Como.
