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CHRISTMAS TREE SELECTION
& CARE
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Home decorating with evergreens had its early beginnings during
mid-winter festivals in ancient times when evergreen foliage was
brought inside for decoration. In the early 1500's, the first
documented history of a decorated evergreen tree is linked to the
Alsace region, straddling France and Germany.
From that point
forward, most Christmas tree history and development is credited to
Germany.
Early German Christmas trees were decorated with gold foil, colored
paper, apples and confections. It's said that Martin Luther was the
first to use candles to decorate a Christmas tree.
German immigrants
brought the Christmas tree custom to England, where it later
emigrated to America. A colleague of Thomas Edison's is credited
with creating the first string of electric Christmas lights in 1882,
thereby cutting down on the hazard of using lit candles on a
flammable tree.
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O Christmas Tree song
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How are thy leaves so verdant?
Not only in the summertime
But ev'n in winter is thy prime
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How are thy leaves so verdant?
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
For every year the Christmas tree
Brings to us all both joy and glee
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Much pleasure doth thou bring me!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Thy candles shine out brightly!
Each bough doth hold its tinny light
That makes each toy to sparkle bright
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
thy candles shine out brightly!
Note: Lyrics to this song seem to vary, but the
lyrics above seem to be the most common.
Definition of VERDANT -
Green with vegetation; covered with a green
growth; green in color. |
US Christmas tree history
The first retail Christmas tree sales lot in the United States was
opened in 1851 in New York City. Franklin Pierce, 14th President of
the United States, brought the first Christmas tree into the White
House in 1856. President Calvin Coolidge started the national
Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 1923.
Several varieties of Christmas trees have been used through the
years and across the globe. The most common Christmas trees in
Pennsylvania today are Scotch Pine, White Pine, Colorado Spruce,
Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir and Fraser Fir, with prices ascending in
that order (Fir trees are the most expensive). Christmas tree
plantations are so common in Western Pennsylvania that Indiana, PA
is known as the 'Christmas Tree Capital of the World.'
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VARIETIES OF
CHRISTMAS TREES
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Balsam Fir - Abies balsamea |
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Photo: Robert H.
Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database /
USDA NRCS. 1995.
Northeast wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species.
Northeast National Technical Center, Chester, PA. |
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Colorado Spruce - Picea pungens |
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Douglas Fir - Pseudostsuga menziesii |
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Eastern White Pine - Pinus strobus |
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Fraser Fir - Abies fraseri |
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Norfolk Island
Pine - Araucaria Hetrophylla |
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 This
tree is often
used as a potted indoor live Christmas tree and kept as a
houseplant, since it isn't hardy in Northeast climates. |
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Norway Spruce - Picea abies |
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Scotch Pine - Pinus sylvestris |
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CHRISTMAS TREE CARE
(from our
Garden Questions
web page)
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What type of fresh-cut Christmas tree lasts the longest?
Fir trees are still our
favorite. Their extra cost is really worth it when it comes
to their longevity, soft needles and that "fresh-peeled
Orange" aroma. Douglas Fir is quite popular, but we like
the Fraser Fir, with its thick needles highlighted with
silver undersides.
KEY TIPS: When you get your cut tree home, cut a thin sliver
off the base of the trunk and store the tree in a container of water in
the garage until the tree is placed in its stand.
Cutting a thin
sliver off the base of the
trunk will improve water uptake
Display
your tree away from hot air vents and pay close attention to
the water level, especially the first week or two. Placing a large
plastic tree bag around the base of the tree when setting it
up makes removal after Christmas much
neater.
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What can we do to keep our Christmas tree, wreaths and
greens fresh longer?
We
recommend spraying them with an "anti-desiccant" such as
"WILT PRUF" before you bring them inside (follow label
directions). This milky-looking substance dries to a shiny
clear coating that helps seal in moisture, keeping greens
fresh longer.
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How should we handle our live balled-and-burlapped (B&B)
Christmas tree?
1) Try to dig a hole
for the tree in advance of planting time, on a day when the
weather is decent. Cover your soil pile with a waterproof
tarp. Your hole should be no deeper than the root ball and
about 12 inches wider on each side. 2) Don't keep the tree
in the house any longer than necessary -- two weeks should
be the maximum. 3) Only water the tree once or twice while
it is inside. Remember - the tree is dormant and has lower
water requirements. 4) Locate the tree away from a heat
source. 5) Lift the tree by the root ball when moving it.
"Double team it" when lifting for safety and ease. 6) Water
the tree thoroughly following outdoor planting. 7) Remove
constricting ropes and synthetic wraps from the trunk area
and root ball when planting. 8) Stake the tree (if it is at
all "wobbly") for the first growing season. 9) Plant the
tree where it will have adequate room to mature. 10) Water
the tree once a week in dry weather during the first growing
season.
Christmas tree planting photos
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Is it true that dissolving an aspirin in the water reservoir
of a cut Christmas tree helps it stay fresh longer?
No, not true.
I'm not sure if it qualifies as an old wives' tale, but
adding aspirin - or anything else - to the water in the tree
stand reservoir does nothing to prolong the useful life of a
cut Christmas tree. Research indicates that the most
important things you can do to keep a cut tree fresh are:
1) Select a
fresh tree. Bumping the trunk on the ground normally results
in some dropped needles and debris. If a tree drops lots of
dead needles, it may be an indication that it was cut a
while ago.
2) Once you
get it home, remove one-quarter inch of wood from the bottom
of the trunk to expose fresh water conductive vessels. This
ensures that the tree is able to take up adequate water. Be
sure to make the cut straight across the base so that the
tree sits properly in the stand. Get it into water as soon
as possible. Stick it in a bucket until you have the tree
stand ready.
3) Keep the
reservoir filled with water and never allow the tree to dry
out. Make sure that the base of the tree is submerged in
water. Some reservoirs can have water in them, but the water
level is below the base of the tree.
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CHRISTMAS TREE
TRIVIA
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Approximately 28 million real Christmas
trees are sold annually in the US
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US Christmas tree production covers about 500,000
acres. Each acre of trees provides the daily
oxygen requirement of 18 people
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The average time required to grow a cut
Christmas tree is 7 years
Christmas trees growing near
Indiana, Pa.
"The Christmas Tree Capital of the World"
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The top six Christmas tree producing states are:
Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin and Michigan
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Top selling Christmas trees are:
Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Noble Fir,
Scotch Pine, Virginia Pine and White Pine
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More about Trees
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Photos
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