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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Tip of the Week — 12/1/08

Posted in Gardening Tips on December 1 2008, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

Best Trees for the Holidays

Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education at The New York Botanical Garden.

holidayThe most common Christmas tree you will find on the market is the Balsam fir (Abies balsamea). It makes a great cut tree that has a nice fragrance and possesses the all-important quality of good needle retention. It grows in cold climates—generally Canada and Maine—and is also one of the cheapest Christmas trees you will find.

The Frasier fir (Abies fraseri) is another popular choice. It is slightly more expensive and has a nice blue-green cast to it. It heralds from more southern regions in the Alleghany mountain area. It also has good needle retention and makes an excellent cut tree.

On the West Coast, a traditional choice for Christmas trees is the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Not a true fir, it is generally grown in Montana for the cut-tree trade and sold in the Pacific Northwest.

Firs tend to do well in the home, as do pines. The problem with pines is that they don’t possess the same strong branch structure that you will find in a fir. Spruces tend to loose there needles, although some people are adamant about buying a blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’) as their Christmas tree, and it does create a lovely sight.

Measure the area where you will put your tree before you buy it and make sure it is one foot shorter than the ceiling height to compensate for the height of the tree stand. When purchasing a tree, make sure the needles are still supple; shake the tree gently—only a few needles should fall off. Store the tree in a cool garage if you are not yet ready to bring it into your home.

Cut a half-inch off the base of the tree and place it in water. Check the water daily; make sure there is always a good supply so that the tree doesn’t dry out. You will notice that the tree absorbs a great deal of water (up to a gallon) when it is freshly cut. Place the tree in a cool room, away from heat sources, and enjoy!