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The Best Trees For Christmas

Christmas is around the corner and those who like to get an early start on their holiday decorating are eyeing what type of tree they want.  According to a poll, the top Christmas Tree Species most available for purchase include the following:

1.    Fraser Fir - The Fraser fir is a native southern fir and very similar to Balsam fir. This tree naturally grows at elevations above 5,000 feet and it has dark green needles, 1/2 to 1 inch long. The tree has excellent needle retention along with a nice scent. The Fraser fir is a uniformly pyramid-shaped tree that reaches a maximum height of about 80 feet and a diameter of 1-1.5 feet. Its strong branches are turned slightly upward which gives the tree a compact appearance. Leaves (needles) of the Balsam fir are flattened, dark-green with a medial groove on the upper side and two broad silvery-white bands on the lower surface. Leaves are 1/2 to one inch long, have a broad circular base, and are usually dark green on the upper surface and lighter on the lower surface. On lower branches, leaves are two-ranked (occurring in two opposite rows). On upper twigs, leaves tend to curl upward forming a more "U-shaped" appearance.

Fraser fir was named for Scot botanist John Fraser who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700's. Interestingly, this tree is commonly planted at lower elevations for ornamental and Christmas tree purposes. In many respects, Fraser fir and balsam fir are quite similar, although the geographic ranges of the two species do not overlap. Some scientists even suggest that because of the many similarities, the two species were once a single species which has since evolved into the present-day forms.

The combination of form, needle retention, dark blue-green color, pleasant scent and excellent shipping characteristics has led to Fraser fir being a most popular Christmas tree species. North Carolina produces the majority of Fraser fir Christmas trees. It requires from 7 to 10 years in the field to produce a 6-7 feet tree.

2. Douglas Fir - The Douglas Fir is not a true fir but actually has its own unique classification. Unlike true firs the cones on Douglas fir hang downward. Douglas fir grows in a cone-shaped naturally and has 1 to 1-1/2 inch needles that have sweet scent when crushed. The Doug fir tree is shipped to and found in nearly every tree lot in the Unites States. The Douglas-Fir grows 40 to 60 feet and spreads 15 to 25 feet in an erect pyramid in the landscape. It grows to more than 200 feet tall in its native habitat in the West. Hardiness varies with seed source. The Douglas-fir has been the major Christmas tree species used in the Pacific Northwest since the 1920's. Since the 1950's, the transformation from growing trees in the wild to culturing them on plantations has been dramatic. Today, few trees come from forest lands.

The Douglas Fir was named after David Douglas who studied the tree in the 1800's.

3.    Balsam Fir - The Balsam fir is a beautiful pyramidal tree with short, flat, long-lasting, aromatic needles. Balsam fir and Fraser fir have many similar characteristics and some botanists consider them extensions of the same species.  The Balsam fir has a nice, dark green color and very fragrant. The tree was named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on bark and which was used to treat wounds in Civil War.

Balsam fir is the most cold hardy and aromatic of all firs. The Balsam tree generally grows to 40-60 feet in height and 1-1 1/2 feet in diameter. It exhibits a relatively dense, dark-green, pyramidal crown with a slender spire-like tip. On lower branches needles generally occur as two-ranked (two rows along sides of the branch), 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches long, spreading and not crowded. On older branches, the needles tend to be shorter and curved upward so as to cover the upper sides of the twigs. Individual needles are somewhat flat and may be blunt or notched at the end. Needles have a broad circular base and are usually dark green on the upper surface, lighter on the lower surface. Two silvery bands of stomata (pores) are found on the lower surface.

Balsam fir bark is thin, ash-gray, and smooth except for numerous blisters on young trees. These blisters contain a sticky, fragrant, liquid resin. Thus, the species has been sometimes referred to as "blister pine". Upon maturity, bark may become up to 1/2 inch thick, red-brown and broken into thin scales.

4.    Colorado Blue Spruce - The Colorado Blue Spruce is most familiar to people as an ornamental landscape tree. The tree has dark green to powdery blue needles, 1 to 3 inches long and a pyramidal form when young. Colorado blue spruce is very often sold "living" and with an entire root ball - to be planted after the holidays. The spruce was chosen in 1978 and planted as the official living White House Lawn Christmas tree. The young tree is pleasingly symmetrical, is best among species for needle retention and the state tree of both Utah & Colorado.

Colorado Blue Spruce has a horizontal branching habit and grows taller than 75 feet in its native habitat, but is normally seen at 30 to 50 feet in landscapes. Needles emerge as a soft clump, changing to a stiff, pointed needle sharp to the touch. The crown form varies from columnar to pyramidal, ranging from 10 to 20 feet in diameter.

Leaves (needles) are 1-1 1/2 inches long on lower branches but somewhat shorter on upper branches. They are 4-sided and have a very sharp point on the end.

5.    Scotch Pine - Scotch or "Scots" pine is the most planted commercial Christmas tree in North America according to NCTA. However, this survey does not suggest that it is the most popular. A true pine, Scots pine was imported from Europe and is not native to America. It was first used in reforestation efforts in the New World. Scotch pine tree has stiff branches, two bundled dark green needles 1 to 3 inches long that are retained for four weeks. The aroma is long-lasting and lingers through the entire season. Scotch pine does not drop needles when dry - excellent retention.

The needles of Scotch pine are produced in bundles of two. They are variable in length, ranging from slightly over 1-inch for some varieties to nearly 3-inches for others. Color is likewise variable with bright green characteristic of a few varieties to dark green to bluish tones more prominent in others. The undersides of Scotch pine needles are characterized by several prominent rows of white appearing stomatal openings.

6. Eastern Red Cedar - The Eastern red cedar (ERC) is mainly a regional favorite and has been a traditional Christmas tree of the South. Branches of eastern Red Cedar are light but compact and forms a pyramidal crown as a young tree. Actually ERC is not a true cedar but in fact a juniper. This tree has very aromatic needles which are a dark, shiny, green color and sharp and prickly to the touch.  Although they are slow growing, heights of over 40 feet have been recorded. Eastern Red Cedars have been known to adjust to shade conditions by remaining dormant until the dominant trees loose their leaves. They then conduct photosynthesis while their taller neighbors are dormant.

7. White Spruce - White spruce is a tree of the northeast US and Canada. It is a regional favorite because it grows into the best shapes in the wild. White spruce has green to bluish green needles but crushed needles have an unpleasant odor. Another problem with the spruce is it has poor needle retention. The tree is excellent for heavy ornaments. White spruce is the state tree of South Dakota.  Trees often reach 80-140 feet in height and 1.5 to 3 feet in diameter. The oldest white spruce may reach 300 years of age.

8. Eastern White Pine - White pine has been valued as a timber tree for centuries but can be cultivated for a Christmas tree if heavily sheared. White pine is grown mostly in the mid-Atlantic states for commercial Christmas trees. The tree retains needles throughout the holiday season but has little or no fragrance and not a good tree for heavy ornaments. The tree is sought by people who suffer from allergic reactions to more fragrant trees. The White pine is the largest pine in United States and the state tree of Michigan and Maine.

Leaves (needles) are soft, flexible and bluish-green to silver green in color and are regularly arranged in bundles of five. Needles are 2 1/2-5 inches long and are usually shed at the end of the second growing season. Both male and female flowers (strobili) occur on the same tree, with pollination occurring in spring. Cones are 4-8 inches in length, usually slightly curved and mature at the end of the second season. Cone scales are rather thin and never have prickles. Cones also have exudations of a fragrant gummy resin.

For Christmas trees, sheared trees are preferred, although some people feel shearing results in trees too dense for larger ornaments. Needle retention is good to excellent. White pine has very little aroma, but, conversely, is reported to result in fewer allergic reactions than do some of the more aromatic species. To produce a 6-foot tree requires 6-8 years on good sites.

9.    White Fir or Concolor Fir - White fir is one of the longest-needled firs and is sometimes mistakened for a pine. A significant portion of these Christmas trees are used in California. Concolor fir has blue-green needles that are 1/2 to 1-1/2 inches long. The fir has a nice shape with a pleasing aroma and good needle retention.  White fir, also commonly called concolor fir, is native to the western United States and may reach sizes of 130-150 ft. in height and 3 to 4 ft. in diameter. The oldest white firs may occasionally reach 350 years of age. It produces a spire-like crown with a straight trunk.  As a Christmas tree, white fir has good foliage color, a pleasing natural shape and aroma, and good needle retention.

10.    Virginia Pine - Virginia pine has only recently been used as a Christmas tree. It tolerates warmer temperatures and has been developed as a southern alternative to Scotch pine. The tree has to be mechanically formed into shape; the foliage is dark green to gray in color; the limbs are stout with woody branches; Virginia pine is one of the most often purchased Christmas trees in the Southeastern United States. The Virginia pine's needles occur in pairs. They are twisted and range from 1.5 to 3" in length. They are relatively short when compared to those of other pines. Loblolly needles, by comparison, are from 4 to 9" long. Individual needle clusters can remain for 3 or 4 years. They are then shed and replaced with new needles as the branches grow in length.

Virginia pine responds well to trimming. And, on Christmas tree plantations their foliage can become extremely dense. As with other pines, these show a tendency to self pruning when grown with competition from other trees. This characteristic becomes apparent after about the sixth year as the lower limbs begin to wither.

About the Author

Andrew Johnson is the owner of Central Texas Tree Care, a leading tree service provider in Central Texas (Travis County and surrounding areas) offering services such as pruning and removals, cabling and bracing as well as arborist reports, diagnostics, pest management, fertilization and Austin tree service trusts. For more information please visit http://www.centraltexastreecare.com.

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