Christmas is almost upon us and nothing gives a traditional and festive spirit quite like a real Christmas tree. There are actually several different types of trees used for this purpose and you probably didn’t know that there were so many varieties. Here are some of the most popular types of trees to decorate with baubles and Christmas lights:
The Firs – there are several types of Fir tree. The Nordmann Fir is very popular because it has excellent needle retention. They come from the mountains of southern Russia and have a beautiful dark green colour with a more rounded needle. It is one of the favorite trees for both symmetrical and strong branches for decorating.
The Balsam Fir trees are traditional in the US and have a wonderful aroma. It is also a very dark green with silvery hue and needles that stay in place for a very long time.
The Douglas Fir is a bluish-green color and also very fragrant. It has a conical shape and is a firm favourite as its needles radiate in all directions from the branch. When the needles are crushed, they emit a wonderful sweet aroma.
Fraser Fir has dark green needles with a silvery hue on the underside. Offering a good retention of the needles, a pleasant smell and pyramid-like branches with great strength which turn upward. It became very popular in this country and makes a beautiful Christmas tree. For a Real Christmas Tree Leicester, visit https://www.welfordchristmastreefarm.co.uk
Norway Spruce has long shiny needles but without proper care, the needles will fall off quite easily. The trees have a nice conical shape and smell sweet. This tree is found naturally in Central and Northern Europe and is a popular choice in the UK. Blue Spruce is one of the top examples among this species for needle retention and has very stiff needles that are great for hanging heavy ornaments from. In nature, the tree can live up to 600-800 years!
The Pines – Austrian Pine has dark green needles and a good retention. It also has a moderate scent but not the strongest. Scots Pine is the most common type of these species that will be used for Christmas trees. It has stiff branches and dark green needles that will remain in the tree even when dry. This is a nice open tree that needs plenty of space for decoration with a beautiful bright green colour. This tree was introduced to the US by European settlers and is now the most common Christmas tree in the US. It has an excellent survival rate and will remain fresh throughout the season.
Other trees that you would not necessarily associate with Christmas but are used for this purpose include Cedars and Cypress trees. The Leland Cypress is good for people with allergies as it is light and fluffy with not much smell. They also don’t produce sap, which is ideal for people allergic to sap.