Abies concolor 'Mike Stern' is one of the smallest, tightest, slowest growing selections of white fir known in the nursery trade. The plant's overall structure is cushion-shaped, with dense branching adorned with gray-green needles that are slightly shorter than those typically seen in this species. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure at most 12 inches (30 cm) wide and 8 inches (20 cm) tall, a yearly growth rate of 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year.
This cultivar originated as a witch's broom found in the late 1990s by Joe Stupka near his home in Pulaski, Pennsylvania. For some reason grafted plants grow much slower and mature to a much smaller size than the origin broom. The broom was about 9 feet (3 m) in diameter 20 feet (6 m) high on the west side of the host tree. The broom was named for home owner where it was found.
