Top Ten Christmas Tree Varieties in the United States

When visiting a Christmas tree farm, nursery or even the pop up/fenced side of the road lot (you know the one, it has the giant blow up snowman/santa waiting to greet you) one can often be overwhelmed by the selection of Christmas trees available for purchase. There are dozens of options when choosing a tree, we have compiled a list of the top ten trees and a little about each one to help make your choice a little easier. The top five trees are very close in sales numbers based on my research, their position on the list varies based on each particular region.

Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri), is the most popular Christmas tree sold in the United States: it has deep green colored short and flat needles. The aroma is considered by many to be strong and very long lasting. Fraser fir is a uniformly pyramidal shaped tree which reaches a maximum height of about 80 feet and a diameter of 1-1.5 feet. The strong branches are turned slightly upward which gives the tree a compact appearance and makes for good ornament support. Needled retention is very good on this variety. Fraser Fir has been used less for timber then other Fir varieties, because the difficult terrain on which it grows makes it tought to harvest. The wood is soft and brittle and may be used for pulpwood, light frame construction, interior knotty paneling, and crates.

Fun Fact: Fraser fir boughs have often been used for "pine pillows" and bed stuffing. This is a very interesting way of introducing the scent of fir to your home.

Image Citation: Bill Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea), is a close second to the Fraser as they are very similar to one another. Balsam grows in an upright pyramidal form. The needles are flat and long lasting. On lower branches needles occur in two rows along sides of the branch, 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches long, spreading in form and not crowded. On older branches, the needles tend to be shorter and curved upward covering the upper sides of the twigs.

Fun Fact: The Balsam was named for the resin (also called balsam) that is found on the bark ridges and wounds, this resin was used during the civil war to treat wounds.

Image Citation: Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), is also very close in numbers sold to the Balsam and Fraser. It is very fragrant with good needle retention. The needles are dark green to blue in color and range from 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Needles are soft to the touch and radiate out in all directions from the branch. They have a sweet fragrance when crushed.

Fun Fact: The Douglas Fir is not a true Fir (not related), it has it's very own classification (Pseudotsuga).

Image Citation: Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service (retired), Bugwood.org

Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens Engelm.), is fourth in the top ten best sellers. It has dark green to powdery blue 1-3 inch long needles. It is well known to be the best for needle retention. The Colorado Blue Spruce is often sold balled and burlaped as a "live" tree to be planted after the holiday and enjoyed for many years to come. When young it grows in a nice pyramidal form, often spreading in form with age.

Fun Fact: The Colorado Blue Spruce is the state tree of both Colorado and Utah.

Image Citation:  Richard Webb, Bugwood.org

Scotch (Scots) Pine (Pinus sylvestris), is the most popular Christmas tree in the Pine family and the only to make the top ten. The dark green needles are 1-3 inches long and are retained on the tree even when completely dry. The scent is not as strong as some of the Firs but is very long lasting.

Fun Fact: The Scotch (Scots) Pine is currently the most commercially planted Christmas Tree in the United States.

Image Citation: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), is a favorite in the Southern portion of the United States. It has dark green, shiny needles that are prickly to the touch. The branches are compact and form a pyramidal crown, except in older trees where the shape is more broadened. The leaves are usually arranged in opposing pairs along the branchlets. It is a very popular choice on most "cut your own" farms. The Eastern Red Cedar is a very aromatic option.

Fun Fact: The Eastern Red Cedar is not a true cedar, it is actually a member of the Juniper (Juniperus) family.

Image Citation: Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org

White Spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), is a regional favorite in the North Eastern United States and Canada. It has one of the best "wild" shapes on "cut your own" farms. The needles are a bluish-green in color and are poorly retained by the tree once it is cut. When crushed the needles have a unpleasant odor. The thick limbs hold ornaments (even heavy ones) very well.

Fun Fact: The White Spruce is the state tree of South Dakota

Image Citation: Bill Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

White Pine (Pinus strobus), must be mechanically trimmed to make into the pyramidal shape desired for most Christmas trees. It is most poular in the Mid-Atlantic United States (where it is commonly/naturally grown). The weaker limbs do not hold ornaments very well. This variety is very popular with allergy sufferers who can not handle the stronge aromas of most Christmas trees. Needles are soft, flexible, 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. The White Pine has great needle retention with little to no noticable fragrance. White Pine lumber is has always been very valuable. The soft, light colored wood warps and checks less than many other species. The wood is used to craft cabinets, interior trims, and for carving.

Fun Fact: Early Native Americans used the inner bark as a food source, later colonists used the inner bark as an ingredient in cough remedies.

Image Citation: Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

White Fir (Abies concolor), is sometimes mistaken for a Pine as it has the longest needles of all Fir trees. The narrow needles are around 1 - 1 ½ in. in length and occur in rows. They have good foliage color, good needle retention, and a pleasing shape and aroma. White fir has one of the largest ranges of any of the Western Firs. It can be found from the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico to the Coast Range in California and Oregon.

Fun Fact: The lumber from the White Fir is used for decking, pulp production, plywood, framing, crating, beams, posts and mobile home construction.

Image Citation: Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org

Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana), is the newest list maker and has not been used as a Christmas tree for nearly as long as the others. It is an alternate to the Scotch Pine in the South and has become the most affordable Christmas tree variety in that same region. The needles are a dark green to gray and are supported by stout branches, these branches hold even heavy ornaments very well. They are fast growers and can be harvested as Christmas trees in as little as 3-5 years. Thought they have many benefits that make them popular on downside is they must be mechanically shaped to have a pyramidal form.

Fun Fact: The Virginia Pine is a rapid grower, often times even considered to be somewhat invasive growing in some not very favorable locations. This rapid growth and hardiness gives it an edge when planted on sites that have been recently clear cut or even mined.

Image Citation: Vern Wilkins, Indiana University, Bugwood.org

Meet more trees on our website: www.ArundelTreeService.com or follow us on our blog www.MeetaTree.com

What is Mistletoe?

Broadleaf Mistletoe (Phoradendron spp.) is an evergreen plant that is parasitic in nature, it grows freely on a variety of large landscape trees. Some deciduous host trees of broadleaf mistletoe include Apple, Ash, Birch, Boxelder, Cottonwood, Locust, Maple, Oaks Walnut and Zelkova to name a few. Conifers are not found to often be host of the Broadleaf variety, but can host the dwarf varieties.

Mistletoe plants often develop in rounded form and can reach upwards of two feet in diameter. The plants develop small whitish colored berries that are sticky to the touch. Mistletoe plants are leafy and evergreen becoming most visible in the winter when the deciduous host trees have dropped their leaves. The plants are either female (berry producers) or male (pollen producing only). Many birds feed on the berries and excrete the living seeds which stick to any branch they land on. Older and large trees are often the first to be infested because birds prefer to perch on higher limbs. The down side of this is a heavy build up of mistletoe is most likely to occur in these same larger trees as the birds enjoy feeding on the berries of the mature Mistletoe plants. Often times growths in the upper branches will drop seeds to the lower sections below, spreading the growth even more. Dwarf Mistletoe does not spread in the same way as Broadleaf, instead it's seeds are forcibly discharged from the fruit, dispersing up to 40 feet away.

Image Citation: Paul A. Mistretta, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Once a seed is in place the seed will germinate, during this time it will begin to grow through the bark of the tree and into the tree's water conducting tissues. Within the tissues, structures similar to roots form, they are called haustoria. Haustoria will spread as the parasitic bush grows and spread. Young growths are slow growing and may take years before they bloom for the first time, their succulent stems become woody over time at the base of each growth. Even if an entire visible growth is removed from it's host plant, it will often resprout directly from the haustoria that is embedded into the host. On the other hand dwarf mistletoe is not woody when mature and is segmented with small scale-like leaves.

Image Citation: Randy Cyr, Greentree, Bugwood.org

Mistletoe can be harmful to a tree that is already weakened but generally does not harm normal, healthy trees. It is possible for individual limbs and branches from healthy trees to become weak or die back. In instances of heavy infestation the entire tree may be stunted, weakened or killed if there are other factors such as disease or drought.

The most effective way to control mistletoe is to remove the infested branches, this will eliminate the haustoria which will prevent re-sprouting. Infested branches must be cut at least 1-2 feet from the base of attachment to be sure you are removing all of the haustoria from the inner tissues of the host. In cases of heavy infestation it may be recommended to remove the entire tree as you can not safely remove more then a portion of the trees crown without causing severe damage or death to the tree itself. If you are not able to prune the tree to eliminate the growth, completely removing the visible mistletoe growth annually will often help limit the spread as only mature growths can produce seeds.

More Cool Tree Facts: www.ArundelTreeService.com or  follow our blog:  www.MeetaTree.com

Why do we decorate Christmas trees?

The custom of the Christmas tree developed in early modern Germany with predecessors that can be traced to the 16th and possibly even the late 15th century. Customs of erecting decorated trees in wintertime can be traced to Christmas celebrations in Renaissance-era guilds in Northern Germany and Livonia. Fir trees have been traditionally used to celebrate winter festivals by both Pagan's and Christian's for thousands of years. Pagans used Fir branches to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as it reminded them to think ahead to Spring. The Romans used Fir Trees to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia. Christians use it as a sign of everlasting life with God. A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer such as pine or fir, traditionally associated with the celebration of Christmas.

Image Citation (Photo 1 & 2): Amy Gilliss, Arundel Tree Service

Each year, 33 to 36 million Christmas trees are produced in America, and 50 to 60 million are produced in Europe. In 1998, there were about 15,000 growers in America (a third of them are "choose and cut" farms, which allow buyers to select their tree before cutting it down). In that same year, it was estimated that Americans spent $1.5 billion on Christmas trees. Some trees referred to as living Christmas trees, are sold live with roots and soil, often from a nursery, to be stored in planters or planted later outdoors and enjoyed (and often decorated) for years or decades to come. In the past, Christmas trees were often harvested from wild forests, but now almost all are commercially grown on tree farms. Almost all Christmas trees in the United States are grown on Christmas tree farms where they are cut after about ten years of growth and then new trees are planted to begin the cycle again. Christmas trees are a large attraction for small mammals, birds and spiders as they provide nesting and shelter.

Image Citation (Photo 3 - Christmas Tree Farm) David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Though the why of decorating a Christmas tree may remain the same, the ways to go about doing it are limitless. Today you are not just limited to a classic evergreens with white or multi colored lights.  Artificial trees have become very popular over the last few decades and are considered by most to be more enviromentally friendly (unitl they end up in landfills at least...).  You can now purchase thousands of different sizes, colors, styles, themes and materials of artificial trees some even come with built in lights.   For those of us who are a bit more tech savvy, lights can even be programmed to music and come in colors beyond the basic rainbow. The options are as endless as our imaginations, maybe this year your family will out-decorate the Griswold family!  ;-) 

More Cool Tree Facts www.ArundelTreeService.com or follow our blog www.MeetATree.com

Meet The Arborvitae Family - Thuja

December is a time of year where the often overlooked evergreens begin to get some much deserved attention. Being a cool December day it seems like the perfect time to tell you more about some of the different type of Arborvitae (Thuja) that you can consider for your landscape. They provide wonderful year round color, screening, privacy, wind breaks, focal points and even places to hang our Christmas ornaments! In general they are slow growers so if using them for privacy screening or hedgerow remember it will take time for them to fill in and reach the height you desire. Arborvitae can be planted in full sun or partial shade and grow in most soil types, though they seem to thrive in slightly acidic soil.

The Arborvitae is often referred to as a "Tree of Life", most varieties have a majestic appearance when full grown. Native Americans are recorded to have used all parts of the trees for not only construction reasons but also many health benefits. Baskets, Totem poles, Canoes and vessels were all crafted from the timber. The oils have preservative qualities that help prevent/protect wood from rotting or fading in the sunlight. The essential oils of the Arborvitae are concentrated and marketed to be used for various reasons. The oils can also be applied directly to your skin and used as a natural insect repellent.

Below is a list of some varieties you may find here in North America:

The Arborvitae Nigra "Thuja occidentalis Nigra" is a hardy, relatively low maintenance tree and takes pruning well. It makes an excellent vertical accent, wind or privacy screen, natural fence or hedge.

Image Citation: Richard Webb, Bugwood.org

The Arborvitae Golden Globe "Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Globe'" is a Globe-shaped arborvitae for use as a hedge, screen, or specimen plant. It has a more unique and less common Golden yellow foliage.

The Arborvitae Green Giant "Thuja standishii x plicata 'Green Giant" is a large, vigorous, fast growing evergreen. It's natural pyramidal to conical form boasts dense, rich green foliage that darkens or bronzes only a little in the winter. This is an exceptional landscape tree for use as a screen, hedge, windbreak, or even specimen planting. It is tolerant of a wide variety of soils, but prefers moist, well drained soil, sun to partial shade. It is wind resistant once established and withstands heavy ice or snow loads. Under good growing conditions, it can grow up to 3' a year to a height of 50'-60' with a 12'-20' spread.

Image Citation: Jason Sharman, Vitalitree, Bugwood.org

The American Arborvitae, "American Thuja occidentalis" is a narrow, pyramid shape makes it a natural choice for windbreaks. Tall and elegant, it requires almost no care when used as a hedge or screen. Pairs of these hardy trees make great accents for doors and garden gates while single (well maintained) specimens soften house corners. Single specimens can grow to 40'-60' with a spread of up to 15' in the wild, but 20'-30' with a 12' spread in urban settings is more typical.

Image Citation: Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org

Although most varieties of Arborvitae grow in any climate, certain varieties grow better in each hardiness zone. When you are selecting/purchasing your Arborvitae, research the climate zones where it will flourish compared to the zone you live in. This will make caring for your Arborvitae a much easier process as the tree will require less maintenance.

Arborvitae are beautiful when grown next to each other, they make a great hedge or natural fence, if they are properly spaced when planted. Planting them too close together will prevent them from growing as they should because they will all be competing for the same minerals and nutrients in the soil, while planting to far apart may not give you the privacy you desire. Check your varieties growth habits before planting to see how far apart they should be placed.

Meet More Trees on our website www.ArundelTreeService.com or Follow Our Blog www.MeetATree.com