Selecting a Christmas Tree

Tis the season to look for a Christmas tree. A beautiful healthy quality tree adds a lot to the décor of the season. Purchase your tree from a local source to help assure freshness. Some of the most commonly available types of Christmas trees include: Scotch pine, white pine, firs and spruce. When shopping for a tree on the lot the first test of freshness is to hit the butt of the trunk against the ground and see how well the needles stay on. A heavy shedding of needles is an immediate sign that the tree has already started to dry out. A dry tree will continue to drop its needles even faster once in your home.

When you get the tree home, cut off about an inch or more from the trunk to expose fresh new tissue and place the tree in a pail of water. If you are not ready to move it indoors, store it in water and place in a shaded location out of wind. To help reduce water loss from the needles you can apply an anti-desiccant to the needles. Anti-desiccants are available at most garden centers.

Once indoors set the tree up in a stand that holds a lot of water, keep the water reservoir filled each day. Adding a flower/tree preservative will help reduce bacteria growth that can clog the trunk’s vessels. Christmas trees, because of their sap, are very flammable especially when dried out. Keep the tree well away from the drying heat of registers, radiators, electric heaters or fireplaces.
A fun way to get a very fresh tree is to cut your own from the many Christmas tree farms in Maryland. Visit our UM Extension website “MarylandAgriculture.info” to find a “Cut-Your own “ farm near you.

The most popular species of trees sold as Christmas trees are the Douglas fir, Balsam fir, Fraser fir, white pine and Scotch pine.

Douglas Fir: Douglas fir has very soft green or often blue-green needles. Its well-known for its very sweet ‘citrus-like’ fragrance. It also has excellent needle retention.

Canaan Fir: Often labeled as ‘Balsam’ fir it is very similar in overall appearance to the Fraser fir. Its needles are longer ( ½ - 1 ¼ inch) and have more blue-green color on the upper needle surface. It has a relatively soft feel to the needles and branches; its needle retention is rated as good to very good. It is also known for its pleasant aroma.

Scotch Pine: This is the most commonly grown Christmas tree in our region. It has short 1 - 2½ inches long, stiff, dark, slightly bluish green needles. It has strong branches that hold heavy ornaments very well. It is also well known for its outstanding needle retention, even when dried out it still holds it needles longer than any other Christmas tree.

Fraser Fir: The Fraser fir has short, firm dark green needles and strong branches that hold heavy ornaments very well. It has excellent needle retention and an added bonus for Fraser is its very long-lasting fragrance.

White Pine: White pine is the second most popular pine grown as a Christmas tree. It has long needles, 2 - 5 inches, that are very soft. The branches are soft and flexible. This makes it a very pleasant tree to decorate, but the flexible branches do not hold very heavy ornaments. Its needle retention is rated as very good to excellent.

Colorado Blue Spruce: This is an exceptionally attractive tree with an excellent shape and a beautiful silvery blue green color. The needles are short (3/4 - 1 ¼ inch), sharp and very stiff. This feature can make the tree very unpleasant to decorate. Its needle retention is good but only if it is kept properly watered; it will drop its needles very rapidly if allowed to dry out.

A well-cared for Christmas tree should last four weeks indoors, long enough to make it through the holiday season. After the holidays you can place the tree in your yard as a welcome shelter for wildlife. Most municipalities recycle Christmas trees into mulch or compost. Check with your local town or county about disposal either by curbside pick up or taken to a drop off site.

Learn more! Read HG 45, "Selecting and Caring for the Cut Christmas Tree" and HG 46, "Caring for a Live Christmas Tree".

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