15 Best Types of Living Christmas Trees (and Which Ones to Choose)
If you celebrate Christmas, you probably have a decorated tree somewhere in your home. As a child, the tree in my house was an old, dusty artificial model that had to be assembled branch by branch. We always kept it tucked away in a cardboard box in the basement, and every holiday season we would play the game “Spider or Not?” when we unpacked it.
At some point, my parents decided that a real live tree would be a more worthy option (which changed our annual game to a game of “Squirrel family or not?”), and thus began our tradition of standing around various parking lots while rude men merrily sold to us, what appeared to my young eyes was a random pine tree .
But these trees were not random! It doesn’t have to be this way: in fact, you have a surprisingly wide range of tree species to choose from for your holiday centerpiece. If you’re looking for a real Christmas tree this year , here are 15 of the best types—and why you’ll choose each one over every other tree on the yard.
Fraser fir
The Fraser fir is one of the most popular Christmas trees in the country. Native to the southeastern United States ( 58 million trees are grown in that state alone , according to the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association), the Fraser fir can be identified by the silvery underside of its needles. These trees last a long time in your living room —up to six weeks —and don’t shed much needles, and their branches are strong and easily hold decorations. So if you’re looking for a tree that will still look good when you finally give in to societal pressure and take it down sometime in late January, this is the way to go.
Colorado blue spruce
If you want something a little different, Colorado blue spruce is a good choice. It has a distinct bluish tint instead of the traditional green and takes on an almost perfect triangular shape. While color should be considered when choosing decorations, with a little thought, blue spruce can make a significant impact on your holiday decor. It is also a sturdy tree with branches that can easily hold heavy decorations. However, like many tough trees, Colorado blue spruce will take revenge on you with its extremely sharp needles that will mercilessly impale you if you don’t wear gloves while decorating.
Fir balsam
If the main reason you love a real Christmas tree is the pine scent that reminds you of a snowy forest at night, then balsam fir is your choice. Balsam, with its flat, dark needles, is one of the most fragrant tree species, traditionally used for the holidays. One downside is its fragility: balms dry out quickly (though they tend to hang on the needles), so it’s important to keep them watered, but even then, you probably won’t want them in the house for too long after drinking The last portion of eggnog. Its branches are also quite flexible, making them unsuitable for heavy decorations or large amounts of decorations, as the branches will sag and allow them to slip off. But if you want the aroma of the holidays in the air, choose Balm.
Douglas Fir
Stately Douglas fir typically has a perfect triangular shape and a rich appearance, making it ideal for large spaces. If you’re looking to fit into a room where most of the trees look like Charlie Brown trees , Douglas fir will fill the space beautifully. The tree also smells great, filling your home with the scent of Christmas. The needles are soft, so this tree won’t hurt you, but its branches aren’t very strong, so don’t hang a lot of heavy decorations on it.
Grand Fir
Fragrant and lush, dark green, Grand spruce trees have soft needles that can grow up to two inches long, although the typical length is 1-1/2 inches. This makes them a great choice for minimalist decor because Grand firs look great on their own. If you’re the type to decorate your tree with elaborate garland and a few fancy ornaments, a large fir tree can complement the rest beautifully. It also smells great, making the whole house smell like Christmas.
Noble fir
Combining impressive size and strong branches that can support a lot of weight, the noble spruce is a large, space-filling tree. Noble also has attractive cones that add a little depth to the appearance, making these trees a good choice for a minimalist decorating scheme (not to mention an excellent choice for wreaths and other non-tree decorations). This means that if you have a huge Great Room but don’t like a ton of flashy decorations, Noble Fir scales well without requiring six hours of trimming – put on some garland and go get a drink.
Virginia Pine
If you want a tree that smells great and does a great job as a Christmas tree without breaking the bank, your most cost-effective choice is probably Virginia pine . It looks like a Christmas tree should look: its branches are strong and can carry a lot of decorations, and it will probably be the lowest price in your tree yard, although of course prices will vary. However, Virginia pine has one significant drawback: it is sticky. These trees have a lot of sap in them, and if you don’t wear gloves when you handle them, a lot of sap will get on you .
White spruce
Do you regularly kill houseplants? Have you sometimes forgotten to feed your pets or even your children? Then the virtually indestructible white spruce is the perfect choice for your Christmas tree. White fir with a beautiful cone shape, pale blue-green color and long soft needles will look stylish. But it’s its staying power that you need: it’s a tree you can set up, admire for one night, then go on a two-week vacation – and everything will be fine when you return.
Arizona Cypress
With its pale gray-green hue and small needles , Arizona cypress offers a new look for your holiday decorations. The contrast between the pale green needles and the reddish branches will make it look striking no matter what you hang on it—and in fact, it’s a good choice for both minimalists and people who have seven boxes of family decorations that Must be hung every year. . If you’re looking for something a little different, this is a great choice.
Norway spruce
If you want to go big and glamorous, why not choose the same tree species that is featured every year at Rockefeller Center in New York – Norway spruce . It is a lush, gorgeous tree with bright green, festive colors, looking like a Christmas tree from a holiday card. There is one major drawback: Norway spruce is fragile and will not last longer than a week, even if you diligently water it (which is necessary). On the other hand, this makes it perfect for all you Scrooge-adjacent rascals who reluctantly decorate during Christmas week and take everything down as soon as the last piece of wrapping paper is thrown away.
Scots pine
Scots pine (sometimes called Scots pine) is a good choice if you need to hang a lot of heavy decorations because its branches are strong and bend upward slightly, as if they were designed to hold that heirloom ornament, which appears to be made of hard material. lead. They also retain their needles and tolerate neglect , meaning that if you forget to water them, they will still look great. This makes Scots pine a great choice if you plant your tree on Black Friday and leave it there until spring, but there’s a catch to that longevity: its needles are tiny killer razors. Seriously, wear gloves when working.
White Pine
If you’re not big on decorating and want a simple, inexpensive, low-maintenance wood, white pine is a good choice. It’s easy to find and generally less expensive, has soft needles and a low odor so won’t cause any problems and looks very nice. However, the branches are weak and do not hold decorations well, so this is a good tree for those who string garlands and call it a day. This also makes it a good tree for homes with many small children because it won’t scratch them or make them too sticky, and it’s also a good wood for paper garlands and other low-density homemade decorations.
Leland Cypress
If you suffer from allergies, you may find that having a real tree in your home doesn’t help. In this case , Leyland cypress , most popular in the southeast, is a good choice. It is a beautiful tree with soft needles, but it does not produce pollen (it is a sterile hybrid), has no pungent odor, and does not produce sap. This makes it as close to a hypoallergenic tree as possible, while still giving you a real Christmas tree in your home.
Nordmann fir
The Nordmann fir is an almost perfect average Christmas tree. It has a beautiful triangular shape, tolerates drought well, and has soft needles that do not fall off easily. This tree won’t stand out, but it won’t disappoint, either, so if you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend more than five minutes choosing a tree, Nordmann fir is a great choice because you can’t go wrong. Plus, if you don’t want your whole house to smell like Christmas, this is a low-scent option.
European silver fir
European silver fir is the traditional choice of Christmas trees in Europe. If you have a lot of large ornaments that need space to shine, this type of tree has widely spaced branches that pair well with larger ornaments. You can also use (electric) candles with this tree to make it look really traditional because there is plenty of space between the branches. The European fir has waned a bit in popularity as a holiday tree, but it is ideal for people looking for historical charm.