Bringing a fresh, fragrant evergreen into the home marks the start of the holiday season for many families. Selecting a living tree that remains vibrant and safe throughout the holidays requires careful attention before and during the purchase. This guide provides practical steps for navigating tree lots, assessing the health of individual specimens, and ensuring the tree stays fresh for weeks. Understanding the subtle differences between species and performing a quick inspection are the best ways to guarantee a beautiful display.
Choosing the Right Species
Matching the tree species to your specific needs is the first step in ensuring a successful holiday display. The Fraser Fir is popular due to its excellent needle retention and strong, upward-turning branches that handle heavier ornaments well. This species emits a pleasant, long-lasting scent, making it a reliable choice for long seasons.
The Balsam Fir is prized for its intense, classic evergreen fragrance that easily fills a room. While its needle retention is good, its branches are less stiff than the Fraser Fir, which is a consideration for heavy decorations. For maximum needle longevity, the Scotch Pine is a strong option because its needles often remain attached even after drying out completely.
The Scotch Pine also boasts very stiff branches, allowing for maximum flexibility in ornament weight, and its scent is mild. In contrast, the Douglas Fir offers a lovely, moderate aroma but tends to have slightly poorer needle retention compared to the true firs once it begins to dry. Considering these differences helps narrow the search to a species that suits your decorating style.
Sizing and Placement Considerations
Before leaving for the tree lot, calculate the precise dimensions needed for your space. Measure your ceiling height and then subtract at least six to twelve inches to account for the tree stand and any decorative topper. Choosing a tree that is too tall results in the loss of the natural top leader when it is trimmed to fit indoors.
Next, consider the diameter of the space where the tree will be placed, ensuring enough clearance for walking around the base. A typical six-to-seven-foot tree can span four to five feet in width. Placement must be away from heat sources, such as radiators, heating vents, or fireplaces, as consistent warmth rapidly accelerates moisture loss and drying.
The stand size must correspond to the trunk diameter, and the base should never be shaved down to fit a smaller stand opening. The sapwood layer just beneath the bark is the most efficient tissue for water absorption, and trimming it away severely limits the tree’s ability to hydrate. A stand should hold approximately one quart of water for every inch of the trunk’s diameter.
Hands-On Freshness Assessment
Once at the tree lot, a few physical tests reveal the health and freshness of an individual tree. Begin with the “shake test” by lifting the tree and gently dropping it onto its stump end. A healthy tree should only shed a few brown, interior needles; if a shower of green needles falls, the tree has already dried significantly and should be avoided.
Next, perform the needle bend test, which differs by species. For firs (like Balsam or Fraser), a healthy needle bent sharply between the fingers should snap cleanly, demonstrating good turgor pressure. Needles of pines and spruces, in contrast, should bend but not break, as these species have more flexible foliage.
Visually inspect the needles for a consistent, deep green color, avoiding those with a dull gray or yellowish cast. Look closely at the branches for signs of pests, such as small, white, cottony masses or tiny, round bumps indicating scale insects. A fresh tree will feel heavy when lifted, which is a direct result of its high water content and indicates a recent harvest.
Finally, check the trunk base, which should appear clean and slightly sticky with fresh-looking resin, signaling a recent cut. Avoid trees where the cut surface is heavily discolored, dry, or covered in old resin, as this suggests the tree was harvested long ago.
Initial Setup and Care
The steps immediately following the tree purchase maximize its lifespan indoors. The first action is to make a fresh, straight cut across the base of the trunk, removing at least one inch of wood. This process re-opens the vascular tissues, or xylem, which quickly seal with sap and resin after the original harvest cut, preventing water uptake.
After making the new cut, the tree must be placed into its stand and immediately supplied with water. A freshly cut tree can absorb a full gallon or more within the first 24 hours. Check the water reservoir two to three times daily for the first few days, as allowing the water level to drop below the base will cause the seal to re-form. Safely transporting the tree home should involve covering it with netting or wrapping to protect the delicate branches.