Christmas Tree Comparison Choices

Christmas Tree Choices

Photo via Wikimedia, by user Kgbo

If you celebrate Christmas, there are three choices – artificial, cut, or living trees for planting outdoors after the holidays.

Artificial Christmas trees are just that – artificial, but due to allergies, some people have to go that route. Cut trees primarily come from farms that grow trees for that purpose. Fraser fir and noble fir are the two most popular cut trees but the varieties grown in Texas include Virginia pine, Afghan pine (Eldarica), Leyland cypress and Eastern red cedar. With exception of Virginia pine, these can all be purchased as living trees and planted after the holidays. The very best living trees are Eastern red cedar and Austrian pine. Rosemary is an excellent choice for small spaces. Remember to set the living tree up in the house just before Christmas and plant outdoors immediately after removing the ornaments.

The very best living tree choice for Texas and other alkaline soil areas is Italian stone pine. The three photos show the young tree as sold for Christmas, the soft foliage developing in adolescent trees and the graceful beauty of the mature tree. Give it a try if you have room.

Update: Artificial trees manufacturers are working to give live trees a run for their money, with both needle design and tree set-up becoming better and easier each year. If you don't want to cut a tree or plant a tree, here are a few reviews of artificial trees available to use for years to come.

The Balsam Hill Fraser Fir "Flip Tree" - the Cadillac of artificial trees (illustration only - not an endorsement)

The Spruce: The 8 Best Artificial Christmas Trees, Tested in our Lab

Forbes: 16 Artificial Christmas Trees that Look Just Like the Real Thing

CNN: 23 artificial Christmas trees that look like the real thing

The New York Times: The Best Artificial Christmas Trees

updated 2021

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