South West USA to North Mexico. Narrowly conical, evergreen, light grey bark, blue-grey or grey-green foliage. Very attractive. Tolerates drought, Used as a Christmas tree in USA. Seedlings grown from this 'bluest' of all conifers. Parent has pale whitish blue needles up to 5 cm long and arching upwards. Erect cones are dark blue and break up when ripe.

Mexico, Guatamala in the mountains. Conical evergreen, dark green needles, silvery beneath. Erect 10-15cm cones, blue when young. Frost tender in first winter, tolerated -9C later. Fastest growing Silver fir, to 75cm in 2nd year.

Nth African Atlas Mountains. Narrowly conical, ageing to broadly conical, evergreen. Drought and exposure tolerant. Slow when competing with thick grass. Mulch to smother grass for best results. Valuable temple building timber.

Troodos Mountains of Western Cyprus. Large silvery foliaged conifer with shorter needles then C. atlantica. Seed from a fine old tree in South Canterbury. 5-20cm only suitable for Bonsai.