Christmas Tree Varieties
Fraser Fir
This is now the most popular Christmas tree, as ranked by the Christmas tree industry! This is an excellent tree for needle retention and offers a fragrant pine scent. The needles are two-toned: they are a dark green color on the top and are a silvery-whiteish color on the bottom. Most Fraser needles are between ½” – 1” in length, so it is a very short-needled tree. The needles are also very soft. The branches are very sturdy and are often recommended for heavier ornaments. Fraser firs are most commonly grown in the Appalachian area of the US- namely North Carolina, southwest Virginia, and eastern Tennessee.
Douglas Fir
This has always been the most common type of Christmas tree but is now being edged out by the Fraser fir. Needles of a Douglas fir are very soft, and are of a medium length- about ¾” – 1 ½” long. The color ranges from a lighter, sometimes yellowish-green to dark green. This tree holds its needles well and offers a fresh pine scent. Douglas fir branches are strong and good for decorations. While Douglas firs are grown throughout the US, they are highly concentrated on the west coast, from British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest to coastal California.
Canaan Fir
A Canaan fir closely resembles a Fraser fir in appearance, as the needles are shorter- ½” – 1” long, and are green on the topside and a whiteish color underneath. The needles are soft but tend to be slightly flatter than a Fraser fir, and the branches are strong, but not quite as those of a Fraser. This type of fir is commonly grown in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. The tree gives off a pleasant pine scent and is a great choice for holding decorations.
Blue Spruce
A Blue Spruce can be one of several varieties. The most common is a Colorado Blue Spruce. These trees are grown throughout the US but have a dense population in the Colorado Rockies. The needles vary in color from light green to dark green to light blue, and they grow in a rounded pattern straight out from the branch. The branches are very strong, which is great for heavy ornaments, but the needles are very sharp and prickly! Sometimes these trees are good for keeping pets and small hands away from the tree. The Blue Spruce is not as aromatic as the other varieties that we offer.