Christmas Trees: A Field Guide

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Each conifer variety offers something special.

By Terry Krautwurst

Think of a Christmas tree lot as a sort of forest concentrate, pure evergreen. At least 50 different kinds of conifers are sold as Christmas trees in the U.S., and a half-dozen or more species may be available on a single lot in any given area.

But which is which? Other than an arboretum, there's no better place to learn the differences among conifers than a tree lot, where you can compare similar-looking species needle to needle, branch to branch.

Often, it's the needles that tell the entire tale. If the needles are growing in clusters, with each cluster bound at the base by a papery sheath extending from a single point on the branch, you're looking at a pine. Among conifers, only the pines bear needles in groups.

If you count five needles in each cluster, you've found a white pine (Pinus strobus), the tree that once blanketed vast areas of the Northeast. Pioneers used to say that a squirrel could travel a lifetime without ever coming down out of the white pines. Its lavish, 2" to 4" light green needles and conical shape make P. strobus a favored Christmas tree throughout its natural range, but its brittle branches make shipping to other areas difficult. A Western variety of white pine, P. monticola, has shorter, stouter needles—also in bundles of five.

Groups of two flexible, shiny green needles up to 6" long suggest the red pine (P. resinosa), sometimes called Norway pine, long the shipbuilder's preferred tree for masts and decking. Shorter, slightly twisted, blue-green needles in bundles of two indicate the venerable Scotch pine (P. sylvestris), our only naturalized nonnative conifer. Its sturdy boughs and dense, long-lasting foliage have made the Scotch the number one Christmas tree in many parts of the country.

In the South, a much-favored tree is the Virginia pine (P. virginiana) —almost a dead ringer for the Scotch, but lacking the European's bluish cast. On the California coast, you'll find the Monterey pine (P. radiata), its grass-green needles borne in clusters of three. The heat-tolerant Afghan pine ( P. eldarica) often decorates homes in the Southwest.

Among many families, however, a pine of any kind is considered a poor excuse for a Christmas tree; only a fir will do. Firs have short, flat needles with rounded tips that are often notched or indented slightly. More important from a holiday perspective, the needles aren't prickly, and hang onto the tree for weeks, even in a warm room. The fir's branches are spaced relatively far apart, so they show ornaments nicely (but sometimes need lots of decorations to fill gaps near the top and middle of the tree).