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Japanese Momi Fir

Abies firma

Height: 50' average mature height
Zones: 6-8 Find my zone
Aspect: mostly sun to full sun
Watering: needs occasional summer irrigation, about one deep watering cycle per month once established
Maximum Water: tolerates occasional winter flooding but needs drier soil in the summer
Habit: single stem or trunk
Foliage: evergreen

This plant can't be shipped to Michigan
Size Availability

1.5 gallon - $28.00 each
5 in stock
Bulk Pricing: $25.00 each for 5 or more - 11% off
Ships free with orders of $75!*
Packed with a bagged root ball.
Production notes: reliable production
Japanese Momi Fir, or Abies firma , is considered the best Fir species for hot climates and is one of the few species in this large group that will actually thrive in the humidity of the southeastern states. Typically Fir trees are difficult to grow in southern climates and we struggle to keep many of our favorites healthy and happy in our Zone 8 nursery, but this variety requires little attention.

Plants are easily grown in both moist and dry sites, although they are not full drought tolerant and require some summer irrigation. We recommend deep watering at least once or twice a month for faster growth. Under poor conditions this tree will grow fairly slowly but is a medium grower under normal conditions.

Up close the needles of this species always remind us of the Pacific Yew ( Taxus brevifolia ) because they are well ordered, flat, short, and wide like a Yew tree. The growth is interesting from a distance as well and appears more like a Cypress than a fir because the branches tend to grow in dense tufts with space in between. This gives trees a very unique silhouette and provides a lot of texture.

Understock Grade
Our understock grade trees are surplus seedlings that we have selected for using as rootstock due to their irregular shape or branching pattern. They will still work as a landscape tree but they generally need an extra year or two before they develop a more uniform habit.


Close up of the foliage, which is more rounded than many other Fir species.
Image Credit: Commons:Abies-firma

Momi Firs have interesting clustered clumps of foliage that give trees a lot of visual character.
Image Credit: Commons:Abies-firma

Packing Plants For Shipping

We pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media.

Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines)

Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes

Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes.

Plant Sizes


3 gallon Dawn Redwood

Standard quart shrub

Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size

Standard deep plug pine tree

Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their Containers

Bamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.

We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.

1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed.

Unpacking Bare Root Plants

You will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top.


A bundle of trees.
When you are ready to plant, remove the trees from the plastic and soak the roots in a bucket of water for 30 seconds. Do not expose the roots to direct sunlight and do not allow them to dry out. When planting large quantities of plants we keep the plants in a black garbage bag to keep all sun and air flow away from the roots and pull each plant as soon as the planting hole is ready. Water the soil well right after planting.

What if I am not able to plant right away?

You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.

For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture.
Size Availability
1.5 gallon - $28.00 each
5 in stock
Bulk Pricing: $25.00 each for 5 or more - 11% off
Ships free with orders of $75!*
Packed with a bagged root ball.
Production notes: reliable production

* Shipping Rate Information

Most plants that ship with washed roots ship at a flat rate with free shipping for ordres over $75. Some plants, such as bamboo that are shipped potted, have rate tables based on the quantity and delivery location. Washed root plants ship free with any rate table plant even if the total of the washed root plants is less than $75. Delivery surcharges such as Remote Delivery Area are in addition to the standard shipping and are applied by shipping carriers to addresses with excessively long delivery routes, or those with difficult access such as those on islands that require ferries for delivery. Free shipping does not apply to delivery surcharges.
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