Is there anything more soothing during the holidays than sitting with your favorite beverage and basking in the fresh, invigorating aroma of a live Christmas tree? Christmas trees welcome friends and family to the home, provide endless enjoyment to the kids, and give you the perfect opportunity to unleash your arts and crafts side with festive decorations. Whether you keep some long-held family traditions or you love getting creative with modern Christmas tree decorating ideas, the Christmas tree becomes a beautiful focal point for your living space.
Nothing gets your home into the holiday spirit quite like a fresh-cut Christmas tree. But, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the different types of Christmas trees! Firs, spruces, pines…which should you choose? Relax — we’re here to help! You don’t have to live in the Pacific Northwest to find a fresh Christmas tree. There are tree farms all over the country!
In the spirit of the holidays, we’re excited to share some of our best tips to help you find the right Christmas tree for you and your family. From cute little tabletop evergreens from our mini Christmas tree collection to Douglas Firs to large spruces that fill your whole living room, there’s a tree for everyone. Check out this roundup of our 15 favorite types of popular Christmas trees and get ready to add the perfect holiday companion to your home.
Arizona Cypress
Looking to add a bit of lace to your home this Christmas? The Arizona cypress delivers. Its tall conical shape and delicate blue-green foliage make it the perfect choice if you’re looking for a unique Christmas tree.
As its name suggests, this tree hails from the Southwest. While it’s more popular near its home range, you can also find it for sale throughout much of the West.
This tree doesn’t produce much of an aroma, but you can always order a wreath to add the fresh scents of pine and fir to your home.
Balsam Fir
Skip the balsam-scented candle and go with the real deal. Not only does the balsam fir fill your home with the scent of fresh-cut greenery, but it also fits the bill of a classic Christmas tree.
Its perfect pyramid form and dark green color make it a stunning seasonal backdrop for Christmas photoshoots. So grab the whole family and have some fun!
Another bonus? Its short needles aren’t prone to dropping. That means less time sweeping and more time enjoying the Christmas season.
Blue Spruce
Who says Christmas trees have to be green? The blue spruce, or Colorado blue spruce, lives up to its name with powdery blue needles that stand out from the crowd. Plus, its narrow form makes it a great choice for small apartments or crowded corners.
Before you get up close and personal with this tree, be warned its needles are sharp. That said, it’s not the best type of Christmas if your home is filled with curious children or pets.
Pro tip: to make trimming the tree a jolly experience, grab a pair of gloves.
Canaan Fir
Looking for the new kid on the block? Check out the Canaan fir.
Closely related to the balsam and Fraser firs, the Canaan’s excellent needle retention and classic pyramid shape make it a super Christmas tree.
This fir’s strong branches and soft needles make decorating it a joy. Add a few strings of lights, hang some Christmas balls, put on your favorite holiday tunes, and you’ll be feeling jolly in no time.
Concolor Fir
Also known as the white fir, you can’t mistake this tree’s citrus fragrance. Just rub its needles in your fingers and it will greet you with the refreshing scent of oranges and lemons. Think we’re joking? Try it yourself!
The concolor fir is also a stunner with long, blue-green needles and a slightly bushy form. When it comes time to decorate, the concolor fir’s strong branches and soft needles land it on the nice list.
Douglas Fir
Ah, good ol’ Doug. This guy is one of the most popular Christmas trees in the US, and it’s easy to see why.
Douglas fir trees tend to grow in nearly perfect pyramids, so there’s no need to search for their good side. Plus, the branches shoot out in all directions, making it easy to find plenty of spaces to hang your ornaments.
Need another reason to bring this tree home? It has one of the strongest fragrances of all the Christmas trees, so don’t be surprised if it fills your whole house with a delightful scent.
Eastern Red Cedar
Don’t let the name full you, the Eastern red cedar adds a touch of Christmas green to your home. Another misnomer? This tree is actually a juniper rather than a cedar.
While its name may be tricky, its appearance is delightful with a pyramid shape and scaly, fan-like foliage. One downfall is its weak branches, but you can always add some Christmas color around your home with one of our holiday-inspired bouquets.
This red cedar is a bit of a throwback to the past since Christmas tree growers have largely swapped it for other trees. But, with a bit of work, you can still find one of these retro trees for your home.
Frase Fir
Are you the type of person who thinks you can never have enough ornaments, garland, and tinsel? Then the fraser fir is for you.
With sturdy branches that point upward, this tree can handle the heaviest ornaments and seemingly endless strands of garland.
But don’t think this tree is all macho. Its soft yellow-green needles make it a dream to decorate and its strong fragrance fills your home with the smell of Christmas. Plus, super shiny needles give the illusion of lights dancing across its branches.
Grand Fir
With a yellow-green color and strong aroma, the grand fir brightens up the home in more than one way. Plus, the thick foliage and strong branches make it a breeze to decorate.
Grand firs are popping up in more places due to their excellent ability to survive transport. Even if you’ve never seen these beauties before, keep an eye out this year!
Leyland Cypress
If you can’t handle the sap and smells of pines and firs, it doesn’t mean you need to pick up an artificial Christmas tree. The Leyland cypress has all the greenery of other types of trees, but none of the allergy-inducing components!
If you’re in the Southeast US, you’ll quickly discover the Leyland cypress is the most popular tree at area cut-your-own farms. Why? They’re not afraid of some heat!
When it comes time to leave the farm and head into your living room, their feathery foliage and narrow pyramid shape make a gorgeous addition.
Noble Fir
Known as the king of Christmas trees, the noble fir is easy to find in the Western US, but it’s a bit more elusive in the East.
The dense and sturdy branches of the noble fir allow this Christmas tree to stand up to even the most impressive ornament collections. So if you have lots of heavy or fragile heirloom tree decorations at home, send the noble fir to the top of your Christmas tree wish list!
Along with being strong, this tree also fills your home with a pleasant aroma.
Norway Spruce
With sturdy, upright branches and a pleasing aroma, this tree will surely spruce up your home with Christmas cheer.
Before you bring one of these trees into your home, you should be aware of their celebrity status. From 1982 on, the Rockefeller Christmas tree has been a Norway spruce.
These trees like to drop their needles, so make sure you provide them with plenty of fresh water. If you think this sounds like work, think on the bright side — at least you’re not watering a 75’ tall tree!
Scotch Pine
If your home is hot and dry during the winter, the scotch pine has your back. Ask the experts and you’ll learn that these Christmas trees hold onto their needles even in dry conditions…as long as you provide water. They’re also rockstars when it comes to traveling on sleighs and trucks, so it’s easy to find them throughout the US.
Wondering about the scotch pine’s looks? Long needles come in clusters of two and produce an appealing aroma. While the long and stiff needles can make it tricky to decorate, the sturdy branches provide great support.
White Pine
With long, dainty needles that spring out in clusters of five, the white pine wins the award for the most elegant type of Christmas tree. Plus, the white pine’s needles aren’t prone to dropping, so you can enjoy this tree throughout the holiday season.
While the white pine is gorgeous, it isn’t perfect. Its branches aren’t super strong, so don’t plan on loading your tree up with heavy ornaments. But don’t fret, it’s still an excellent place for Santa to drop gifts…or a Christmas flower delivery.
Want a leg up on the competition when it comes time for holiday trivia? Check it — the Eastern white pine can grow over 200’ tall, making it the tallest pine tree in the United States!
White Spruce
There’s no need to break out the fake snow when you add a white spruce to your home. This Christmas tree’s blue needles have a powdery appearance that can bring a bit of a white Christmas to even the warmest locations.
This tree’s pyramid shape, stiff branches, and short needles make it perfect for hanging heavy ornaments and strings of garland. That’s right, you can go wild with the decorations.
The downfall? The needles release an unpleasant aroma when crushed.
Spruce Up Your Home This Christmas
Now that you know some of our fav Christmas tree types, it’s time to pick the perfect festive pal for your home. Winter’s not exactly famous for flowers – but you didn’t think we’d leave you hanging, did you? During those cold, cozy months when you’re in extra need of something bright, fresh to complement your favorite new tree, check out our recommendations on festive winter flowers.
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