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As a Christmas tree, Canaan fir has several desirable properties. It
has a dark-green appearance, long-lasting needles, and attractive form.
It also retains its pleasing fragrance. Nine to ten years in the field
are required to produce a 6-7 foot tree. On lower branches needles generally
occur as two-ranked (two rows along sides of the branch), 3/4 - 1 1/2
inches long, spreading and not crowded. On older branches, the needles
tend to be shorter and curved upward so as to cover the upper sides of
the twigs. Individual needles are somewhat flat and may be blunt or notched
at the end. Needles have a broad circular base and are usually dark green
on the upper surface, lighter on the lower surface. Two silvery bands
of stomata (pores) are found on the lower surface. |