Onondaga Central
Who doesn’t love a nice Christmas tree? Some people use a fake Christmas tree and many people buy or cut down their own real Christmas tree. Everyone who has had a real Christmas tree has heard of Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Colorado Spruce, Concolor Fir and Balsam Fir to name a few, but what about all the other types of trees that could be used as a Christmas tree? What types of Christmas tree are used in other parts of the country?
In fact in some areas there are trees that may look like a Christmas tree in appearance but are not a pine tree, spruce tree, or fir tree, all of which are what we think of for a Christmas tree. In fact, they are cedar trees or cypress trees. Together these types of trees compose the Evergreen species. Evergreens are trees that keep their color year-round unlike deciduous trees (Maple, Oak, Birch trees) that lose their leaves, going dormant in the winter. Some of the Christmas tree options below would require leaving the state or even growing the tree yourself but if you ever plan to live in another region of the U.S. they are worth keeping in mind, and others are widely available in our area. Red Cedar: This tree, also referred to as a Pencil Cedar or Eastern Red Cedar, is most commonly grown in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. On Cedar trees there are no needles in the way of a pine tree. These trees are slow growing, have a dark-shiny green color and grow in a skinny pyramidal shape. As a matter of fact, this is the perfect tree for people who buy an artificial tree in order to have a tall skinny tree. It also will not require the maintenance of a pine or fir Christmas tree such as frequent water or needles shedding. Arizona Cypress: If you plan on living in Arizona, believe it or not there is a natural Christmas tree for you. No, you don’t just have to settle for decorating a cactus. The Arizona Cypress is native to the Southwest, has a bluish-gray color and is medium sized. This tree is very drought-resistant and would need less water than any Christmas tree in CNY. Leyland Cypress: This is an extremely fast-growing tree and commonly grown in most of the U.S. (not CNY) but does particularly well in Southern states and the West Coast. Christmas Trees in Utah: After research I found Utah appears to be an unexpectedly great place to get a Christmas tree. Utah has dozens of national forests and Bureau of Land Management sites where you can pay anywhere from $5-$20 to venture into the woods and cut down your own tree. Ashely National Forest, Dixie National Forest and Fishlake National Forest are some of the notable national forests that offer this (KSL.com). Pine Trees and potential Christmas trees in Utah include: Bristlecone Pine This tree is unique in that it grows well in the shade, droughts and mountainous areas- among the worst conditions a tree could. Similarly, other unique Pine trees in Utah that are drought resistant, can handle high elevation and prefer sun are: Limber Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Pinyon Pine and Singleleaf Pinyon (Utah State University Forestry). Florida Christmas Trees: Yes, Florida has native pine trees that could serve as a Christmas tree. They include: Loblolly Pine, Shortleaf Pine, Longleaf Pine, Pond Pine and Sand Pine. These pine trees tend to be less dense, with soft needles that are oversized and have a taller, slimmer shape than pine trees in the Northeast or Northwest (University of Florida). Virginia Pine: This tree grows along the Appalachian Mountains and can be found all the way in Alabama. This pine has also been introduced to Florida. Norfolk Pine: This pine is native to Australia and New Zealand. It can live in coastal Florida but is not hardy to the cold, making predominantly an indoor pine tree. The Norfolk Pine has a sturdy trunk with spaced-out and sagging branches. Grand Fir: This tree grows happily in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. These trees can grow up to 230 ft tall. Among the most uncommon aspects of this tree is the colors that include a yellow-green color and has white stripes underneath the needles. The foliage is dense. Like the Noble Fir below it provides strong branches for decorating. Noble Fir: This tree is also grown in the Pacific Northwest and also reaches 230 ft tall. This tree is dark green and has more evenly spaced branches than the Grand Fir. Just as the Grand Fir above this tree as a strong fragrance (ProFlowers.com). A visit to the Pacific Northwest for a Christmas Tree might just be worth it! More uncommon trees that could serve as a Christmas tree that would leave as the only one having this tree include Blue Point Juniper and Gold Cone Juniper, and my two favorites the Swiss Pine & Weeping Alaskan Cedar. Juniper falls within the Cypress family. The Gold Cone Juniper would provide a unique lime green color and the Blue Point Juniper would offer a blue color. Both would not be tall or hold ornaments but could be lighted and have garland/berries. The Swiss Pine has unique pine cones and a compact shape. The Weeping Alaskan Cedar has a blue color and an uncommon weeping shape. Less common trees that are still commonly available in CNY include Scotch Pine, Canaan Fir and White Pine. You cannot count out the Norway Spruce. These are perfect for a city or village Christmas tree because of the massive height. They tend not to be used as an indoor Christmas tree. With that said growing a Norway Spruce to decorate in your yard would be worth it. Who knows maybe someday it could be the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree?
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