Christmas Tree Selection Guide

Balsam Fir Found throughout the Canadian Maritimes and remote parts of northern new England, this fir was the first plantation grown Christmas tree in the northeast. Its soft, dark green foliage with flat needles about 3/4" in length has a distinctive "Balsam" aroma. Its steady branching and excellent needle retention have made it a long time favorite Christmas tree.
Canaan Fir Found widely within the Canaan Valley of Northeastern West Virginia, this tree is a genetic variation of traditional Balsam Fir. Native also to Pennsylvania and New York where it can be found in remote stands, its range extends as far north as Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia. Although similar in appearance to the traditional sources, its needles tend to be longer, about 1" in length, and vary more in color. It foliage, however, can often retain the bottlebrush appearance of Fraser Fir its southern counterpart. Relatively new to the Christmas tree industry, its popularity continues to rise.
Concolor Fir More commonly known as White Fir, this evergreen is widely distributed throughout the southwestern United States from the Rockies of Colorado and New Mexico in the east to California's Sierra Nevada range in the west. Its soft, silvery blue foliage with flattened needles about 2" to 3" in length has a distinctive citrus aroma. Its outstanding color and excellent needle retention make it an increasingly popular Christmas tree.
Douglas Fir First studied by Scottish botanist David Douglas in the 1820s, this conifer is widely distributed throughout western North America from the interior lake country of British Columbia to the mountains of Mexico. Found in the central Rockies, the hardy "blue" strain is widely used as a Christmas tree in the northeast. Its lush blue green foliage with needles about 1" in length is very attractive. Its sturdy branching and outstanding needle retention make this evergreen a holiday favorite.
Fraser Fir Also known as "Southern Balsam", this stately fir, native to the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, is closely related to its northern counterpart. Its soft, emerald green needles with silvery undersides are about 3/4" in length. Its bottle brush texture sturdy branching, and outstanding needle retention make it a superb Christmas tree who popularity has grown in recent years.
Colorado Blue Spruce Found throughout the central Rockies, this spruce borrows its name from the Centennial State and has stout, 3 sided needles about 3/4" in length. It foliage can vary in color from dark green to indigo blue, as pictured. Its sturdy branching and good needle retention make it a desirable Christmas tree while its excellent form and outstanding color make it the premier ornamental evergreen.
Norway Spruce Native to the great Baltic conifer forests of northern Europe, this tree has shinny, dark green foliage with needles about 1/2" in length. Often found at a choose and harvest plantation, the rich foliage of this spruce can exhibit good needle retention with proper care. Its value as an ornamental landscape tree is also widely recognized.
White Spruce Spanning the entire width of North America, this spruce is a decidedly Northland tree found throughout the lake-studded Canadian shield and northern United States. Its delicate blue-green foliage with needle about 1/2" in length is very appealing. Given proper care, this tree also exhibits good needle retention and can be found most often in a choose and harvest plantation. Its excellent form and color make it an exceptional Christmas tree.
Scotch Pine Known as the cosmopolitan tree of Europe, this conifer was one of the first plantation-grown Christmas trees in the Untied States. Its sharp, blue-green foliage with needles about 2-3" in length can be sheered to an appealing density. Its conical shape, excellent color and needle retention make it the Christmas tree of choice for many years.
White Pine Widely distributed throughout the forests of eastern North America, this tree, native to the Northeast, has soft, lacey blue-green foliage with needles about 3-4" in length. A very graceful-looking evergreen, its fragrance and excellent needle retention made it a popular Christmas tree for many years, especially in the traditional South.