CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATING IDEAS

Natural Christmas Trees

The best species for using as Christmas trees are species of fir (Abies), which have the major benefit of not shedding the needles when they dry out, as well as good colour and scent; but species in other genera are also used.

Here are some choices for natural Christmas trees classified according to geographical regions:

Northern Europe:

Silver Fir Abies alba (the original species)
Nordmann Fir Abies nordmanniana
Noble Fir Abies procera
Norway Spruce Picea abies (generally the cheapest)
Serbian Spruce Picea omorika
Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris

North and Central America:

Balsam Fir Abies balsamea
Fraser Fir Abies fraseri
Grand Fir Abies grandis
Guatemalan Fir Abies guatemalensis
Noble Fir Abies procera
Red Fir Abies magnifica
Douglas-fir Pseudotsuga menziesii
Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
Stone Pine Pinus pinea (as small table-top trees)

Some Other Species Used:

Conifers: Less-traditional conifers are sometimes used, such as Giant Sequoia, Leyland Cypress and Eastern Juniper.

Spruce: Various types of spruce tree are also used for Christmas trees; but spruce trees, unlike firs begin to lose their needles rapidly upon being cut, and many spruces, such as the Blue Spruce have very sharp needles, making decorating uncomfortable.

Pine: Virginia Pine is still available on some tree farms in the southeastern United States, however its winter colour is faded. The long-needled Eastern White Pine is also used there, though it is an unpopular Christmas tree in most parts of the country, owing also to its faded winter coloration and limp branches, making decorating difficult with all but the lightest ornaments.

Norfolk Island pine is sometimes used, particularly in Oceania, and in Australia some species of the genera Casuarina and Allocasuarina are also occasionally used as Christmas trees. Hemlock species are generally considered unsuitable as Christmas trees due to their poor needle retention and inability to support the weight of lights and ornaments.