BYLINE: Kristen Curry
KINGSTON, R.I. – Nov. 29: It’s that time: One of the particular joys of the season is heading outdoors to pick out a Christmas tree.
Some good news for tree shoppers this season: If you are buying from a big-box store or pop-up lot where the trees are likely shipped from Canada—live trees imported from our northern neighbor are exempt from tariffs.
However, a better option might be to buy local, advises University of Rhode Island forestry extension specialist Christopher Riely. He will be heading to a local tree farm to make his selection, keeping his decorative dollars in the local economy. Plus, it’s a magical experience.
“It can be a fun expedition to pick out a locally-grown tree,” says Riely.
Riely likes to vary the type of tree he puts up from year to year. He enjoys buying fresh-cut trees from local farms, and in recent years has been drawn to “character” trees that are far from the perfect conical shape but unique in appearance (and also offer a good value). Last year, he brought home a white fir.
A Certified Forester and Arborist at the University of Rhode Island, Riely shared some shopping pointers for those looking for a tree for Christmas:
Is a live tree or an artificial tree a better choice, environmentally?
Live trees are made of 100% renewable materials that don’t need any special recycling or composting facilities. They absorb carbon from the atmosphere during their lifetime, rather than contributing to the impacts associated with producing metals and plastic.
What’s the best way to find a locally-grown tree and what are some things to look for when selecting a tree?
The National Christmas Tree Association website is a good place to start to find a family-run farm near you. Many offer customers the opportunity to come before the season to select and “tag” a tree, then return to have it cut during the lead-up to the holidays. This is the best way to ensure that you will get the species, size, and shape of tree you prefer, and it can be especially fun for children. Of course, it’s fine to just show up and select from the trees that are available.
You can tell if a tree is fresh if it isn’t dropping a lot of needles when you touch the branches. The needles on a fresh tree are dark green. Grayish needles indicate the tree is drying out, unless it’s a species with different-colored needles such as Colorado blue spruce.
It’s a good idea to know how much space you have for a tree before you go looking for one. It’s easy to underestimate the height of a tree when you are outside, so measure if you can and don’t forget to add room for the tree stand and whatever you will be putting on top.
Are any varieties best for length of display and/or scent?
Different species of trees appeal to different people and their prices vary. Firs have flat needles that are gentler to touch. Balsam firs are the most common (and least expensive) species of Christmas tree in the Northeast. They are also known for their appealing scent; you can find souvenir pillows filled with balsam fir needles. Douglas and long-lasting Fraser firs are more expensive, but appreciated for their classic appearance and form. Spruces have round, pointed needles that can be prickly to the touch but many people like the look of the Norway spruce or Colorado blue spruce. Young native white pines can be used as Christmas trees, but their appearance is often too spindly or scruffy-looking for people who are accustomed to a symmetrical, pruned, and conical look.
Are there any tree trends happening this year?
One interesting ongoing trend over the past 55 years in the U.S. is that a conifer from federal public lands is selected for display outside the Capitol in Washington D.C., with the tree coming from a different part of the country each year. This year’s tree is a 53-foot red fir harvested from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada. It is currently traveling by truck on a cross-country tour before arriving in Washington, where it will be lit in early December and decorated with 10,000 ornaments.
Beyond the wonder of having a tree in your home, is purchasing a live local tree a good way to support local farmland and agricultural businesses?
The best way to support local growers is to buy their trees! Some farmers grow Christmas trees as a way to diversify their income together with other agricultural products and farm tourism experiences.
Supporting Christmas tree farmers is just like supporting local farmers — it helps ensure the continued economic viability of these enterprises and reduces the likelihood that productive open space will be developed or converted for another use.
For more tips on caring for your tree once it’s home, or disposing after, contact your local Cooperative Extension program office.
Photo by Anton Atanasov: