Forestry & Commercial Conifers

Christie-Elite is one of the largest private producers of commercial conifer transplants for timber production in the UK. We offer a wide range of species including improved Scots pine, fir, larch and spruce.

• Christie-Elite leads the industry in the production of genetically superior Sitka spruce selected over generations to produce the best possible growth and form gains. This means that our 'Elite' and 'Super-Elite' Sitka transplants grow straighter and faster with less branching and no loss in timber density when planted out in the forest.
• We produce a wide range of forest broadleaves from both UK and overseas stands and can supply timber quality broadleaves from specially selected seed stands upon request.
• Forest conifers are specifically grown at Christie Elite for commercial timber production and are size graded prior to sale - usually to 20-40 cm or 40-60cm. Specialist grades are available upon request (e.g. 30-50 cm Elite Sitka spruce - favoured by many foresters for restock sites.

'Elite' Sitka

Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis, is the most important commercial timber species in the UK.

• Seed used to produce 'Elite' Sitka transplants is collected from specially cultivated seed orchards. Individual trees within the orchard have been selected to ensure their progeny possess superior traits such as stem straightness, lightness of branching, rapid growth and strong apical dominance.
• Transplants grown on the nursery from orchard-collected seed are considered to be genetically 'improved' and the plant is referred to as 'seed-orchard' material. When planted out in the forest this stock will outperform unimproved planting stock.
• Seed-orchard material from Christie-Elite, is known as 'Elite' Sitka spruce.
• The highest genetic gain available in the UK is termed 'Super-Elite' Sitka. These transplants are produced vegetatively (from cuttings). Vegetative production (VP) ensures that desirable genetic traits can be reliably and predictably passed on to subsequent plant generations.
• Read more about Super-Elite Sitka spruce production.