How to Choose a Living Christmas Tree for a Festive Season
The most eco-friendly Christmas tree is one that lasts for years. Here’s how to choose, decorate, and care for a living tree during the holidays.
Thomas J. Story
For most people, choosing a Christmas tree comes down to a fundamental choice between a harvested tree off a lot or an artificial one. But there’s a third option: Inviting a living tree into your living room for the holiday. This approach gives you all the nice pine-y smells associated with traditional trees, but none of the guilt you might feel knowing a tree was chopped down to make your holiday décor happen.
It’s always nice to bring in some greenery during the cold, dark winter months. Select a living Christmas tree as you’d choose plants for your garden―go with what you love, and have room for.
Across the West, there’s a wide variety of pines to choose from that would make great living trees, each with its own look. You can step away from the traditional deep green with the blue spruces of Colorado. There are plenty of trees with classic semi-short needles, but there are shorter options like the curled needles of the Korean fir, or, for something more graceful and ethereal, the long, brushlike needles of the Bosnian pine.
Regardless of the specific type of tree, look for landscape-grade trees (not sheared), in 5-, 7-, and 15-gallon cans, and transplant them into a decorative container. You can use the same tree in a container for four to seven years, depending on how fast it grows. If you intend to plant it outdoors eventually, choose a variety that thrives in your climate. And be sure that you have a sunny spot for it.
Here are some of the best choices for living Christmas trees available in the West, and some tips on how to care for and decorate your living tree.
Favorite Christmas Trees
Dwarf Blue Subalpine Fir
Abies lasiocarpa ‘Glauca Compacta’ is a pretty silver species that makes an outstanding living Christmas tree.
Limber Pine
Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’. This species has delicate branches and looks elegant with fairy lights.
Korean Fir
Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’ is another fir that makes a wonderful living holiday tree.
Bosnian Pine
Pinus heldreichii leucodermis. This pine is native to the Balkans, and makes a lovely living holiday tree.
White Pine
Pinus parviflora ‘Blue Angel’ is another gorgeous living Christmas tree that looks just as good in your garden.
How to Care for a Live Tree
- Plan ahead. Buy a variety that thrives in your area. After the holidays, keep it in a container to reuse year after year, plant it in your garden, or donate it to a local park. If you plan to plant, make sure you have space to allow for the tree’s growth.
- Do not disturb. Leave your living Christmas tree tree in its nursery container for at least the first holiday season. You don’t want to add transplant shock to the stress of an indoor stay.
- Limit its time inside. Display the tree indoors no longer than 10 days, keeping it away from heater vents, fireplaces, and drafts.
- Water regularly. The easiest method for live Christmas trees: Place ice cubes atop the soil. As they melt, they slowly release water, which is gradually absorbed by the roots.
- Take it outside. Most trees can live outdoors for several years in large containers. Water regularly, when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. When new growth starts in spring, feed with a granular, controlled-release fertilizer.
How to Decorate
Shine theory: Go ahead, gild that little tree. But stick to ornaments in a single metallic finish for a polished outcome. Tuck in twigs spray-painted gold and doused with glitter for extra shimmer.
Tree: Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii leucodermis).
Grow Globes
For those with a serious plant addiction, a tree hung with terrariums is meta-festive. This conifer’s sturdy branches easily support the succulents, tillandsias, and activated charcoal that fill each orb.
Tree: Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Baby Blue’).
Pop Rocks
Trade glass icicles for a sweeter variety: rock candies in bright colors, hung with embroidery thread wrapped around their wooden handles. Clear lights and a fiberclay pot keep the look unfussy.
Tree: Limber pine (Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’).
Decor: Rock candies, $7/set of 3; hammondscandies.com.
Pared Down
A trio of trees calls for simplicity—just one type of ornament on each. Felted yarn balls, thick wool yarn, and a string of lights give this grouping a touch of modern Scandinavian style.
Trees (from left): Korean fir (Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’); Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca albertiana ‘Conica’); Dwarf blue subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa ‘Glauca Compacta’).
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