How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree

When picking out the perfect tree, consider what you pine for.

Is fragrance at the top of your Christmas list? You might choose a balsam or Fraser fir, says Dr. Kurt Pregitzer, a professor in Michigan Technological University's School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science. If price is an object, you'll probably have more cash left over for presents if you choose a balsam over a Fraser.

"The Fraser's a beautiful tree, and it commands a premium price," he said.

True firs -- anything of the genus Abies -- have another advantage, says Pregitzer, a former Christmas tree farmer. They generally retain their needles longer than the spruces and pines, "though they all hold well if you treat them properly," he says.

The Douglas fir, which isn't a true fir but looks like one, also smells nice and is famous for holding its needles practically until Valentine's Day.

For dense foliage and sturdy branches, spruces are hard to beat. However, their needles are pokey compared to the firs. "Both blue spruce and white spruce have foliage that can be hard to handle," Pregitzer says..

Prickly isn't necessarily a bad thing, however. "If you have little children, they tend not to come back and handle the trees much."

And pine trees? "I've had some nice scotch pines and white pines," Pregitzer says. "White pines are very nice and soft" and have a beautiful green color. However, white pine branches can be quite pliable, so they may go limp under the weight of heavy ornaments. "If you're a collector, this may not be the tree for you," Pregitzer notes.

Even though Christmas trees are harvested as early as October, almost all of them are fresh enough to last through the holiday season. After being cut, the trees are baled, or wrapped up, for shipment to thousands of parking lots throughout the country.

After you pick out your tree, ask the merchant to re-bale it for you, Pregitzer advises. Baled trees are easier to transport and much less likely to knock over furniture, lamps and small children when you carry them into the house.

If you've bought your tree early, store it upright outside, out of the wind in a cool place where it won't dehydrate. Don't lay it on its side, Pregitzer warns. If it freezes, and you know it will, then the tree may develop a flat spot.

When it's time to decorate, set up your tree stand and then cut an inch or two off the bottom of the tree, place it in the stand immediately and fill the stand with water.

Finally, keep the reservoir full of water, and the needles should stay on your tree and off of the rug through the holiday season.

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