Christmas Trees 
Eastern Red Cedar
• Virginia Pine
• Leyland Cypress
• Scotch or Scots Pine
• Fraser Fir • Noble
Fir • Douglas Fir • Blue
Spruce
• White Pine • History
of the Christmas Tree
During November, many Arkansans begin the task of finding and decorating a
Christmas tree as soon as the turkey has been eaten. The selection of a
Christmas tree is an important task -- especially if you are using a living, or
once living tree. Finding a fresh tree, and keeping it fresh for a month, can be
a daunting task.
Christmas trees run the gamut from the artificial tree, to the pre-cut trees,
the choose and cut Christmas tree farms, and the living balled-in-burlap trees.
Add to this picture, the different species of trees available, and you might be
confused. Locally, you have about ten or so different types of trees to choose
from. And, if you are planning on replanting this tree in your landscape, you
have sufficiently narrowed the choices.
Lets look at the choices available to us in Arkansas.
Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is the traditional native Christmas
tree that many southerners remember from their childhood. Eastern red cedars
grow naturally throughout Arkansas, and, in Christmas' past, many families just
cut a cedar from a fence row or from the woods behind their house. The eastern
red cedar is normally quite dense, has outstanding aroma, a pleasant green color
and a natural "Christmas tree" shape. Its drawbacks include sticky needles, and
the fact that it tends to dry out quickly once indoors. It is still an option
for a cut your own tree, and it can be planted outdoors. However, it is not
highly rated as an ornamental.
Virginia Pine
Virginia Pine (Pinus Virginiana) has been the staple of the Christmas
tree industry in the south since its inception. Virginia Pine Christmas trees
are available on both choose and cut farms, and retail lots. Virginia Pine is a
short- needled Pine with pleasant Pine fragrance, dense foliage and good growth
rates. It has been by far the most widely planted southern Christmas tree over
the past three decades and still is the most common species at most farms in the
deep South.
Leyland Cypress
The most exciting thing to happen in the short history of the southern
Christmas Tree industry is the introduction of Leyland Cypress. Today, Leyland
Cypress is fast replacing Virginia Pine as the tree of choice at many Christmas
tree farms. Customers like it because it is not only a very beautiful Christmas
tree, but if kept in water, it will outlast any other tree without leaving
needles in the carpet. These trees are usually available at choose and cut tree
farms only, or as living trees to be replanted in the landscape. The foliage of
the Leyland Cypress varies somewhat from one cultivar to the next. But in
general it tends to be arranged in irregularly flat planes with a dark green to
gray color. The shoots branch repeatedly and have a contrasting mahogany color
except at the tips. The trees have little aroma.
Scotch or Scots Pine
Scotch or Scots Pine is an introduced species which has been widely planted
for the purpose of producing Christmas trees. It is an extremely hardy species
which is adaptable to a wide variety of soils and sites. As a Christmas tree, it
is known for its dark green foliage and stiff branches which are well suited for
decorating with both light and heavy ornaments. It has excellent needle
retention characteristics and holds up well throughout harvest, shipping and
display. As a Christmas tree Scotch Pine is probably the most commonly used
species in the United States. It resists drying and if permitted to become dry
does not drop its needles. When displayed in a water filled container it will
remain fresh for the normal 3 to 4 week Christmas season. Like all natural trees
it is readily recyclable and has many different uses following the Christmas
holidays.
In addition to these trees, which can be grown in our southern climate, there
are numerous conifers brought in for the Christmas season. While they all make
beautiful Christmas trees, they don’t survive well in our outdoor landscapes.
These include the Firs, Spruces and the White Pine.
Balsam Fir
As a Christmas tree, Balsam Fir has several desirable properties. It has a
dark-green appearance, long-lasting needles, and attractive form. It also
retains its pleasing fragrance. It exhibits a relatively dense, dark-green,
pyramidal crown with a slender spire-like tip. As a Christmas tree, White Fir
has good foliage color, a pleasing natural shape and aroma, and good needle
retention.
Fraser Fir
In many respects, Fraser Fir and balsam Fir are quite similar, although the
geographic ranges of the two species do not overlap. Fraser Fir leaves (needles)
are flattened, dark-green with two broad silvery-white bands on the lower
surface. The combination of form, needle retention, dark blue-green color,
pleasant scent and excellent shipping characteristics has made the Fraser Fir
being a popular Christmas tree. North Carolina produces the majority of Fraser
Fir Christmas trees.
Noble Fir
The Noble Fir has been considered an excellent Christmas tree for years,
because of its beauty, stiff branches and its durability indoors. It is also
widely used in the greenery business to make wreaths, door swags, garland and
other Christmas products. The needles are roughly 4-sided (similar to spruce),
over 1 inch long, bluish-green but appearing silver because of 2 white rows of
stomata on the underside and 1-2 rows on the upper surface. The needles are
generally twisted upward so that the lower surface of branches are exposed.
Douglas Fir
Douglas Fir is not related to the true Firs. This wide ranging species grows
from 70 to 250 feet tall in the wild. The branches are spreading to drooping.
The needles are dark green or blue green, 1 to 1 ˝ inches long, soft to the
touch and radiate out in all directions from the branch. They have a sweet
fragrance when crushed. The Douglas Fir has been the major Christmas tree
species used in the Pacific Northwest since the 1920's. A newer strain from the
Rocky Mountains has been extensively planted throughout several Midwestern state
Christmas tree plantations. Nationally, it remains one of the most popular
Christmas trees species. It is shipped to the majority of the states and is also
exported to the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and some Asian markets.
Blue Spruce
Blue Spruce is growing in popularity as a Christmas tree as a result of its
symmetrical form and attractive blue foliage. The layered branching structure
also makes them easy trees to decorate. The species has an excellent natural
shape and requires little shearing. It also holds its needles the best of all
the spruces, but that isn’t saying much, since many spruces dry out quickly.
Needles are generally dull bluish-gray to silvery blue and emit a resinous odor
when crushed. It is the official state tree of both Colorado and Utah. For
Christmas trees, overall color of Norway spruce is fair to excellent, but needle
retention is considered poor unless the trees are cut fresh and kept properly
watered.
White Pine
If you are looking for a really soft tree, White Pines are an option. The
White Pine is the state tree of Maine and Michigan. For Christmas trees, sheared
trees are preferred, although some people feel shearing results in trees too
dense for larger ornaments, plus the branches droop and ornaments can fall off
the soft branches.. Needle retention is good to excellent. White Pine has very
little aroma, but is reported to result in fewer allergic reactions than do some
of the more aromatic species.
Regardless of which type of tree you choose, remember to always keep a cut
tree in plenty of fresh water. A fresh cut (removing an inch or two of stem)
helps when buying a pre-cut tree. This simply opens the cut end up to accept
water. Try to keep the tree in a cool room, and either cut off or redirect the
heating vent nearest to the tree.
If you want to enjoy your Christmas tree for years to come, you might
consider a live tree. Not just a real, cut tree, but a living tree--either
balled in burlap, or in a container. These trees can only be brought into the
house for a very short period of time, usually less than a week. Then they are
planted outside in the yard. The living trees take a considerable amount of care
and planning. Care should be taken with hot lights and heavy ornaments, since
you don’t want to damage the branches. They can be in the house decorated, but
no longer than a week. Any longer and they will begin to break their dormant
period. If the trees breaks dormancy, the trees are shocked when they return to
the cold weather and will not easily survive the rest of the winter. After a
week in the house, the tree should be placed in the garage for a few days. Then
it is time to plant the tree. When using this option, only choose those trees
that are relatively hardy in Arkansas.
Christmas trees are a holiday tradition, and no home should be without one.
So study your options and start decorating.
See the
history of Christmas trees. To see more about Christmas Tree Farms in
Arkansas go to the
Arkansas
Christmas Tree Growers Association
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