Abies balsamea 'Bear Swamp' is a dense, squat globose selection of balsam fir which will assume more of an upright conical form with age. It is distinctive and desirable through short, dark-green needles. This plant is a true dwarf; at maturity, a specimen will be around 1 foot (30 cm) tall and wide after 10 years, a growth rate of about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year.
This cultivar originated as a witch's broom found by Greg Williams of Wolcott, Vermont in a place called Bear Swamp near Rowe, Massachusetts. According to Mr. Williams, it resembles 'Wolcott Pond', another of his balsam fir selections.
