Grow Your Own Christmas Tree This Fall

The 5 Most Popular Choices Of Christmas Trees

Spruce and fir trees grow in conical shapes along with dark-green leaves, which make them perfect choices for those looking for a traditional Christmas tree to plant. The annual growth rates between the species however varies. While most spruce trees grow an average of 6 to 11 inches per year, fir trees can grow between 13 and 24 inches in height. Evergreens should receive abundant moisture in fall before freeze up as they lose water from their foliage in winter and are unable to take up replacement moisture from the frozen soil.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

The Norway Spruce is probably most recognisable as the traditional Christmas tree with its beautiful pyramidal shape and weeping branches, bright green coloured, four-sided smooth leaves and its pleasant fragrance. Matured, this tree can reach heights up to 60 feet high.

Described and heralded by botanists and tree experts as “one of the most striking and truly graceful objects in nature” and as “one of the noblest forest trees.” The Douglas Fir has a beautiful, iconic, pyramid shape with dark green leaves, grows between 13 and 24 inches in height annually and it emits a powerful fragrance that is one of the richest among Christmas trees. If you want to make a strong statement in your yard, this tree is you best bet. 

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

The Blue Spruce with its powerful spicy scent features silver-blue coloured branches that grow in a dense conical manner with needles which tend to curve upward at the end. Regarded by many as the Blue Spruce that is perfect for Christmas trees. The branches of this tree are strong and they are widely used for Christmas decorations. This conifer grows 12 to 24 inches annually and can reach a height up to 75 feet at maturity.

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

Balsam firs look very similar to spruce trees. The difference is that their cones stand straight up while spruce cones dangle. The Balsam Fir is one of the most popular Chritmas trees due to its dark green colour, heavy density foliage and short soft needles. It matures to a height of 70 feet and can live at elevations up to 6,000 feet above sea level. It is hardy to temperatures reaching -40 degrees Celsius.

The Black Hills Spruce is a small to medium height tree of up to 60 feet in height. Originally from the Black Hills of South Dakota, this conifer is a good addition to residential landscapes and it makes not only for an great windbreak because of its with a broad, pyramidal form, dense habit and slower growth rate, but also for an ideal Christmas tree.