Abies fraseri (FF) is a North American conifer which is crucial for growers of Christmas trees. This species suffers 100% mortality after infection of root rot caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi. The hybrid material A. cilicica × A. cephalonica (CZ) and A. koreana × (A. cilicica × A. cephalonica) was utilized as mother trees for applications of Abies fraseri pollen. In addition to resistance to fungal disease, a long-term monitoring of growth of young seedlings along with the impact of artificial crossing on morphology of the progeny is covered. Except for increased resistance, some offspring has also exhibited a remarkable heterosis effect at younger age and different growth habit and different shape of their needles. All this may offer in the future a wide range of applications, both for crops under strong anthropogenic pressure with changing climatic conditions and for crops grown for production of Christmas trees and outstanding ornamental cultivars. Annual crossing success was determined in present study using X-ray imaging. The most successful combinations in 2012 were those of CZ1 × FF25 and CZ1 × FF76 with 7% of full seeds, followed by CZ2 × FF25 with 6% and CZ2 × FF31 with 4% of the full seeds. The evaluation of young seedlings from control crossing in 2007 highlighted significant accented height growth of complicated hybrid (A. koreana × (A. cilicica × A. cephalonica)) × FF PC. Morphology of needles showed variability in their length as compared with the needle width which was found to be less appropriate characteristic for distinguishing between different combinations.

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