Fraser Fir:
Fraser fir is a
uniformly pyramid-shaped tree with strong branches that turn slightly upward.
giving the tree a compact appearance. Dark blue-green in color, they are noted
for good form and needle-retention. They have a pleasant scent.
Douglas Fir:
One of the top major Christmas tree species in the U.S,
these trees have soft needles dark green – blue green in color. The needles
radiate in all directions from the branch and, when crushed, have a sweet
fragrance. These trees are shipped to the majority of the states and are also
exported to the Hawaiian Islands, Guam and
some Asian markets.
Balsam Fir:
Balsam fir is a medium-sized, beautiful pyramidal tree with
short, flat, long-lasting, aromatic needles. They are similar in
characteristics to the Fraser fir and some botanists consider them extensions
of the same species. These trees exhibit a relatively dense, dark-green,
pyramidal crown with a slender spire-like tip.
Colorado Blue Spruce:
Colorado blue spruce, or blue spruce, is an attractive tree
often used for Christmas trees or as ornamentals, particularly in the eastern United States and Europe.
The tree has dark green to powdery blue needles, with a narrow, pyramidal shape
and cone-shaped crown and is best among species for needle retention. Colorado
blue spruce is very often sold “living” and with an entire root ball – to be
planted after the holidays. The spruce was chosen in 1978 and planted as the
official living White House Lawn Christmas tree.
Scotch Pine:
Scotch or “Scots” pine is the most planted commercial
Christmas tree in North America. Scots pine
was imported from Europe and is not native to America. The needles don’t even
fall when they’re dry, providing excellent needle retention. The color is a
bright green. The most common Christmas tree in the U.S., the scotch pine has an
excellent survival rate, is easy to replant, has great keep ability and will
remain fresh throughout the holiday season.
Eastern Red Cedar:
The Eastern red cedar is mainly a regional favorite and has
been a traditional Christmas tree of the South. The branches of the eastern red
cedar are compact and form a pyramidal crown, except in older trees. The
leaves, a dark shiny green color, are usually arranged in opposing pairs along
the branchlets.
White Spruce:
White spruce is a tree of the northeast US and Canada. White spruce has green to
bluish green needles but the crushed needles have an unpleasant odor. Another
problem is poor needle retention. The tree is excellent for heavy ornaments; it
has short, with a blunt tip. They are bluish-green – green in color, but have a
bad aroma when needles are crushed. They have excellent foliage color and have
a good, natural shape. The needle retention is better in a White Spruce than it
is among other spruces.
Eastern White Pine:
White pine is grown mostly in the mid-Atlantic states for
commercial Christmas trees. The tree retains needles throughout the holiday
season but has little or no fragrance and not a good tree for heavy ornaments.
The tree is sought by people who suffer from allergic reactions to more
fragrant trees. The White Pine has soft, flexible needles bluish-green in
color.
White Fir:
White fir is one of the longest-needled firs and is
sometimes mistaken for a pine. A significant portion of these Christmas trees
are used in California.
The tree has blue-green needles, has a nice shape with a pleasing aroma and
good needle retention. White fir is an excellent ornamental tree and is widely
planted in the eastern United States
and Canada.
Virginia Pine:
Virginia
pine has only recently been used as a Christmas tree. It tolerates warmer
temperatures and has been developed as a southern alternative to Scotch pine.
The foliage is dark green to gray in color; the limbs are stout with woody
branches; It is small- medium in size and its foliage becomes extremely dense. Virginia pine has been
the staple for the Christmas tree industry in the south since its inception.
