Selecting a Christmas tree

Christmas trees are a traditional part of the festive holiday season. The most popular Christmas trees that are grown in Tennessee are Virginia pine, eastern white pine, eastern redcedar, Canaan fir, Fraser fir and Scotch pine. Each tree species is a little different, so to find the best types of real Christmas trees for your family, you need to match it to the needs and wants of your household. For example, if you have children, you might lean toward pines or firs with soft needles instead of spruce trees, which have sharp needles that can hurt when you step on them.

At the lot, you will see three or four common varieties of trees. Some things to consider when choosing the right type will be the color, shape, and feel of a tree. Some trees are dark green and others have gray or white hues. There are trees with tight branching patterns and then some with more spaces.

Here are some tips for choosing and maintaining your live Christmas tree:

1) Measure the dimensions, including ceiling height, of the area where the tree will be placed before buying the tree. This will help you select the right size and shape of tree. 

2) The easiest method to obtain a fresh tree is to cut one from a Tennessee Christmas tree grower. There are many growers of “choose and cut” Christmas trees in Tennessee. For a directory of Christmas tree growers, access the following TN Department of Agriculture website:  https://www.picktnproducts.org/listview/christmas-trees.html        

3) Trees in Christmas tree lots are often obtained from Michigan, Oregon or Colorado.  Occasionally, they come from a little closer to home as well as regionally in Tennessee and adjacent states. These trees may have been cut 2 to 4 weeks before they appear on the lot. Make sure to test the tree for freshness by placing a branch between the thumb and forefinger of your hand. Pull your hand toward you allowing the branch to slip through your fingers. The needles should bend but not break, and adhere to the branch, not fall off in your hand. A second test is to lift the tree a few inches off the ground and drop it on the stump end. Some interior brown needles should fall, but if green needles fall in abundance, find another tree.

4) To keep your tree fresh, cut 1/2 to 1 inch of the bottom of the trunk. Immediately place the stump end in water. Keep water in the tree stand at all times. A cut tree can absorb 2 or 3 quarts of water the first day indoors. If the base of the tree dries out, sap from the tree will form a seal that will not allow water absorption. Water additives to enhance the “freshness” of the tree are not recommended. Research has shown that these additives will deter water absorption. Only use clean water in your tree stand. 5) The tree should be placed in a cool area. Keep your tree away from fireplaces, heat registers, radiators, heaters and televisions. Inspect your Christmas tree lights for broken insulation or faulty sockets each year. Always unplug tree lights when you are away from home and before you go to bed.

The National Christmas Tree Association website is a wonderful source of additional information on Christmas trees:  https://realchristmastrees.org/  For some of you it may seem a little early to be talking of Christmas trees, but I saw some up two weeks before Thanksgiving.  As the song says, “Christmas Time Is Coming”.  If you bring home a live tree, make sure that you maintain its freshness for the safety of your home and family.