Originally Published In The Deseret News -- Wednesday, December 2, 1992
One sure sign of the holiday season is the profusion of Christmas tree lots springing up to supply this beloved Christmas symbol. Americans' customary tree dates back to Hessian soldiers staying in the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. German trees were small table-top trees, and luxurious floor-to-ceiling trees were only possible in forested America.
President Franklin Pierce, native to New Hampshire, had the first Christmas tree in the White House, while Grover Cleveland was the first to use electric decorations. Calvin Coolidge began the tradition of lighting a tree on the White House lawn. Teddy Roosevelt, an ardent conservationist, outlawed trees until Gifford Pinchot, a Cabinet member and founder of the Yale School of Forestry, assured him that cutting Christmas trees helped other trees survive. Roosevelt gave in and allowed his children to enjoy a tree.
Select Christmas trees for safety and appearance. The National Christmas Tree Association and the National Safety Council offer these guidelines. Fresh trees will not sustain flames. They usually have sap on the trunk and branches that bend easily without snapping. Needles are green and flexible and do not pull off easily. Bounce the tree on the ground a few times and watch the needles. Dead needles drop off, but if many green needles fall, find another tree. Nurseries often spray trees with an anti-dessicant to make them last better. This natural plant wax prevents the tree from drying prematurely.
A 6-foot tree transpires up to two quarts of water per day. Keep trees safe by keeping water available. Buy your tree, then cut at least 1 inch off the bottom of the trunk. Put it in warm water in a garage or sheltered place. Before setting it in a permanent stand, cut another 1-inch slice off the trunk. Good tree stands hold at least a gallon of water and must be refilled daily. Don't place trees near heat ducts, fireplaces, televisions or other heat sources. Check lights and electrical connections for safety and don't leave the lights on overnight or when you leave home.
There are numerous species to choose from. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Douglas fir is the most common but is not a true fir. It is aromatic with a pyramidal shape and rapid growth. Sheared trees are dense and bushy, while unsheared trees are open with flexible branches. Needles are bright green and 1 inch long. Less expensive trees are cut in forested areas, while more expensive ones are farm grown and sheared to make them symmetrical.
Scotch or Scot's pine has needles 11/2 to 2 inches long that hold on better than most pines. Sheared Scotch pines become very bushy and dense. Color varies from bright to yellowish green. Ponderosa pine is a native with long gray-green to yellow-green needles. It is usually not sheared, but it is an excellent tree with an open, irregular form. Pinyon pines are cut from native stands. They are blue-green in color and are generally very bushy with a very aromatic scent.
The Colorado blue spruce, our state tree, has a beautiful shape. The blue needles are 1-11/2 inch long. Norway spruce is similar to blue spruce except the needles are light green in color and shorter. Both will drop needles prematurely.
Fir trees make excellent Christmas trees. Alpine fir is a native with 1-inch-long needles with a slight blue color. White fir has dense, bluish-green needles, 2 inches long. Both form perfectly tiered symmetrical trees and hold their needles quite well after cutting.
Noble fir has short, silvery needles that turn upward on the upper surfaces of the twig. It is a native to cool mountain areas of Oregon and Washington and is often grown as a Christmas tree.
Living trees are also becoming more popular. They are of necessity smaller because of the larger ball required to support the tree. Keep them indoors for brief periods of time. Move them from the outdoors to an unheated but protected space for several days before moving them into warm display areas. Adapt them to the colder environment by reversing the process. If you still have unfrozen soil, dig the hole so the tree can be planted right after Christmas.
If the idea of a living tree appeals to you but you do not want the bother of planting a tree in midwinter, consider buying the tree and donating it to Tree Utah. Further information on Tree Utah's living Christmas tree program is available by calling 363-5900.
Select fresh trees, then cut off the base and place it immediately in warm water. Always replenish water as needed, keep it away from sources of heat and enjoy the beauty and fragrance that a living Christmas tree provides.
Larry A. Sagers is a horticulturist with the Utah State University Extension Service.
© 1998 Deseret News Publishing Co.