Types of Trees  


The Most Popular Christmas Trees and Their Distinctive Qualities

 

Some of the most popular Christmas trees sold on the prairies are:
Balsam Fir, Fraser fir, Douglas Fir, Scots Pine and White Spruce

The most popular Christmas trees grown on the prairies are:
Balsam fir, Scots pine, and White spruce

Balsam fir 

All firs have soft, flattened dark green needles. Depending on species, the needles vary in length but are typically short, about 20mm long. All types of firs are characterized by their pleasant fragrance.
The balsam fir (Abies balsamea) is the most popular Christmas tree in Canada. It is found in cooler climates and is therefore found in abundance in Canada, including northern Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Firs favor abundant soil moisture and a humid atmosphere. Growth is best on well-drained, somewhat acidic soils.
In most regions of Canada, seeds are grown for two years in a nursery bed before being moved to a transplant bed. The transplant will remain there for three years before being transplanted in a Christmas tree farm. From this transplant, it will then take 8-9 years to grow a 2 metre (7 foot) tree.
In Nova Scotia, Christmas trees are most often cultivated in natural stands; seed trees provide replacement seedlings for the mature trees that are harvested.
Their characteristics make them very desirable Christmas trees. They have a long-lasting pleasant fragrance as well as a good appearance: their needles are dark-green, they are long lasting and the shape of the trees is attractive.
The Fraser fir is very similar in form and appearance to balsam fir, except for a slightly thicker needle with a silver tint on the bottom side of the needles. It is native of North Carolina and can be grown in Eastern Canada, but is not hardy enough to be grown on the prairies.

Scots pine

The Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is the third most popular Christmas tree in Canada. It grows in a wide variety of soils and sites. The tree was originally introduced in Canada by European settlers.
Scots pine grow quickly. Seeds are grown for three years in a nursery bed before being transplanted on a Christmas tree plantation. After having been transplanted, it takes 7-8 years to grow a 2 metre (7 foot) tree.
The Scots pine is a thick, hardy tree that holds its needles well over the holidays. It responds well to shearing, which it needs to form a well-rounded conical shape with few breaks in the foliage.
The colour of a Scots pine is variable; some trees may be blue-green while others are yellow-green. The needles appear in clusters of two and are about 50mm long. It is renowned for its excellent needle retention.

White spruce

White Spruce (Picea glauca) is a conifer found throughout Canada. Its cone-shaped crown along with its spreading branches gives it a nice appearance which makes it a good Christmas tree. A nicely shaped 2 metre tree takes 7 years to grow after having been transplanted from a nursery bed. The tree grows best in moist, acidic, loamy soils. White spruce has excellent foliage color, short stiff needles and a good natural shape.

The needles are about two centimeters long, and are an attractive dark green or bluish green. The needles of spruce and fir trees are quite similar, but on spruce, the needles are square to round in profile and will roll between your fingers. They are stiff and slightly curved and give off a sharp pungent odour when crushed.
Once cut, the spruce needs lots of water to prevent it from losing its needles.

Go to Main page

 
Images are courtesy of the National Christmas Tree Association.