This helpful video provides useful information about questions you might have about Christmas trees. The video explains the difference between several varieties of Christmas trees, how to select a good tree for your home and demonstrations on how to keep your tree fresh. The video features trees most popular in the mid-west. Here in the Pacific Northwest(PNW) many of the trees featured don’t grow well, however the PNW has many unique trees of it’s own. In the PNW the most popular Christmas trees are the Douglas Fir, Grand Fir and Noble Fir. This excellent video is provided by, Wahmoof of Wahmoof Farms Nursery in Gobles, Michigan.

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This is an article from the National Christmas Tree Association. The article answers common questions and myths regarding fake Christmas trees.

Where do they come from?

• Most fake trees (85%) in the U.S. are imported from China. Almost 10 Million fake trees were sold worldwide in 2003. The U.S. Commerce Dept. tracks the Import of Fake Trees

• Most fake trees are made of metals and plastic.

What are fake trees made of?

• Most artificial Christmas trees are made of metals and plastics. The plastic material, typically PVC, can be a potential source of hazardous lead. Read a warning about them from the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition.

• Lead can sometimes be found in artificial trees. * Why do some artificial trees carry a warning label?

• The potential for lead poisoning is great enough that fake trees made in China are required by California Prop 65 to have a warning label.

Why did the USDA quarantine some artificial trees?

• Some fake trees have a wooden center pole. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Agriculture placed a quarantine on fake trees from China, which had a potentially harmful beetle in the center pole.

Who decided to make a fake Christmas tree?

• Actually fake trees were invented by a company who made toilet bowl brushes, the Addis Brush Company. Regardless of how far the technology has come, it’s still interesting to know the first fake Christmas trees were really just big green toilet bowl brushes.

Are fake trees really fireproof?

• Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are the most common causes of holiday fires in residences – these are just as likely to affect artificial trees as Real Trees.

Are fake trees better for the environment?

• As mentioned before, most artificial trees are manufactured in China and contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride). In fact, artificial Christmas Trees were recently added to the Center for Health, Environment & Justice’s list of household products containing PVC.

• According to the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition, the manufacture of PVC creates and disperses dioxins, which include the most toxic man-made chemical known. Released into air or water, dioxins enter the food chain, where they accumulate in fatty tissues of animals and humans, a potential risk for causing cancer, damaging immune functions and impairing children’s development.

Noble Fir

Noble Fir

Abies procera

It’s the champion of Christmas Trees.  Short stiff branches spaced apart & covered with bluish -green needles that appear silver.

Needles generally grow upward leaving the underside of the branch exposed. Noble boughs are used to make beautiful wreaths. Keepability is excellent.

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Grand Fir

Grand Fir

Abies grandis

The grand fir is one of the tallest firs, reaching heights of 300 feet.

It is easily distinguished from other Pacific Northwest firs by its sprays of lustrous needles in two distinct rows that are usually horizontally spread so that both the upper and lower sides of the branches are clearly visible. The long needles provide a wonderful smell and if turned over appear silver.

The needles are 1 to 1 1/2 inches long with glossy, dark-green tops.

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Douglas Fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii

Douglas Fir

These are the traditional Christmas tree with it’s distinct sheared shape. These soft needles are dark green-blue in color and are approximately 1 – 1/4 inches in length.

The Douglas Fir needles radiate in all directions from the branch. When crushed, these needles have a sweet fragrance.

Nationally, it remains one of the most popular Christmas trees species.

Selecting the Christmas tree is always a family event. Most families have a favorite type of tree and everyone looks for a healthy, filled out tree with a nice shape.  But what else beyond that?  And which variety is the best value this year?

It varies depending upon the weather, which species where planted by the tree farms years ago, and your region of the country. In the Pacific Northwest, Noble, Douglas, Grand Firs and Frasier Firs are grown specifically for the use of Christmas trees. In places like Florida, Red Cedar, Virginia Pine, Sand Pine, Spruce Pine and Leyland Cypress are often the popular choices.

Tips on Selecting a Tree

1. Your needs

Determine where in your home you will display your tree. With this in mind, you will be able to tell what height tree you will need and whether all four sides of the tree must be suitable for display.

Height – It is a simple formula:

	Item	Example
Height =	room height	8 ft
minus	tree toppers ornaments	1 ft
minus	height added by the tree stand	0.5 ft
minus	height of any base or table that you put under the stand	0
plus	bottom of tree removed	0.5 ft
		=
Equals	height of tree to buy at the farm =	7 ft

Shape – Some prefer a slender tree, others want one which is larger and more bulky. It is nothing more than your personal preference!

2. Type / Variety of tree (species)

At Green Acres we offer Noble Firs, Grand Firs and Douglas Firs.

3. Examine the tree

Freshness is an important key if you are buying a precut (harvested, fresh-cut, etc.) tree. Of course, if you are cutting your own, or having it cut for you, you know it will be fresh!

• The needles should be resilient. Take hold of a branch about six inches from the tip, between your thumb and forefinger, then pull your hand toward you allowing the branch to slip through your fingers.
• The needles should adhere to the branch and not fall off in your hand. The needles should be flexible, not brittle. Run your finger down a branch – the needles should adhere to each twig. Bump the base end of the tree lightly against the ground to verify that the needles are firmly attached and to see if any outside needles fall off (inside needle loss in Pine trees is common every Fall and may lodge against the branches). If only a few drop off, the tree is fresh.
• The tree should have a good fragrance and an attractive good green color,
• fresh tree will retain its moisture content and thereby keep its fragrance and needles, if kept in a stand that has a good water – holding capacity.
• Limbs should be strong enough to hold ornaments and strings of lights