Christmas Trees

The Christmas tree has gone through a long process of development rich in many legends, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center.

Some historians trace the lighted Christmas tree to Martin Luther. He attached lighted candles to a small evergreen tree, trying to simulate the reflections of the starlit heaven -- the heaven that looked down over Bethlehem on the first Christmas Eve.

Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition in Germany. Then the tradition crossed the Atlantic with the Hessian soldiers.

Some people trace the origin of the Christmas tree to an earlier period. Even before the Christian era, trees and boughs were used for ceremonials. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year -- brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death". When the Romans observed the feast of saturn, part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen bough. The early Scandinavians were said to have paid homage to the fir tree.

To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts, evil spirits and the like.

The following Christmas Tree species or types are sold and grown in the United States.

Deodara Cedar - Cedrus deodara - short, bluish-green needles; branches become pendulous at the tips; native to Himalayas; Deodara wood in Asia was used to build temples. In ancient Egypt Dedodara wood was used to make coffins for mummies.

Eastern Red Cedar - Junirperus viginiana - leaves are a dark, shiny, green color; sticky to the touch; good scent; can dry out quickly; may last just 2-3 weeks; a southern Christmas tree.

Leland Cypress - Cupress ocyparis leylandii - foliage is dark green to gray color; has upright branches with a feathery appearance; has a light scent; good for people with allergies to other Christmas tree types. One of the most sought after Christmas trees in the Southeastern United States.

Balsam Fir - Abies balsamea - ¾" to 1 ½" short, flat, long lasting needles that are rounded at the tip; nice, dark green color with silvery cast and fragrant. Named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on bark. Resin is used to make microscope slides and was sold like chewing gum; used to treat wounds in Civil War.

Douglas Fir - Pseudotsuga menziesii - good fragrance; holds blue to dark green; 1" to 1 ½" needles; needles have one of the best aromas among Christmas trees when crushed. Named after David Douglas who studied the tree in the 1800's; good conical shape; can live for a thousand years.

Fraser Fir - Abies fraseri - dark green, flattened needles; ½ to 1 inch long; good needle retention; nice scent; pyramid-shaped strong branches which turn upward. Named for a botanist, John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700's.

Grand Fir - Adies grandis - shiny, dark green needles about 1" - 1 1/2 " long; the needles when crushed, give off a citrusy smell.

Noble Fir - Abies procera - one inch long, bluish-green needles with a silvery appearance; has short, stiff branches; great for heavier ornaments; keeps well; is used to make wreaths, door swags and garland.

Nordmann Fir - Abies nordmannia - dark green, flattened needles, shiny, silvery-blue below, ¾ to 11/2 inches long. Popular in the United Kingdom.

White Fir or Concolor Fir - Abies concolor - blue-green needles are ½ to ½ inches long; nice shape and good aroma, a citrus scent; good needle retention. In nature can live to 350 years.

Afghan Pine - Pinus oldarica - soft, short needles with sturdy branches; open appearance; mild fragrance; keeps well; grown in Texas; native to Afghanistan, Russia & Paskistan

Austrian Pine - Pinus nigra - dark green needles, 4 to 6 inches long; retains needles well; moderate fragrance.

Red Pine - Pinus resinosa - dark green needles 4"-6" long; big and bushy.

Ponderosa Pine - Pinus ponderosa - needles lighter colored than Austrian Pine; good needle retention; needles 5" - 10" long.

Scotch Pine - Pinus sylvestris - most common Christmas tree; stiff branches; stiff, dark green needles one inch long; holds needles for four weeks; needles will stay on even when dry; has open appearance and more room for ornaments; keeps aroma throughout the season; introduced into United States by European settlers.

Virginia Pine - Pinus virginiana - dark green needles are 1 ½" - 3" long in twisted pairs; strong branches enabling it to hold heavy ornaments; strong aromatic pine scent; a popular southern Christmas tree.

White Pine - Pinus strobus - soft, blue-green needles, 2 to 5 inches long in bundles of five; retains needles throughout the holiday season; very full appearance; little or no fragrance; less allergic reactions as compared to more fragrant trees. Largest pine in United States; state tree of Michigan & Maine; slender branches will support fewer and smaller decorations as compared to Scotch pine. It's wood is used in cabinets, interior finish and carving. Native Americans used the inner bark as food. Early colonists used the inner bark to make cough medicine.

Carolina Sapphire - Cupressus arizonica var. glabra - 'Carolina Sapphire'- steely, blue needles; dense, lacy foliage; yellow flowers and nice scent; smells like a cross between lemon and mint.

Black Hills Spruce - Pinus glauca var.densata - green to blue-green needles; 1/3" to ¼" long; stiff needles may be difficult to handle for small children.

Blue Spruce - Picea pungens - dark green to powdery blue; very stiff needles, ¾" to 1 ½" long; good form; will drop needles in a warm room; symmetrical; but is best among species for needle retention; branches are stiff and will support many heavy decorations. State tree of Utah & Colorado. Can live in nature 600-800 years.

Norway Spruce - Picea abies - needles ½" - 1" long and shiny, dark green. Needle retention is poor without proper care; strong fragrance; nice conical shape. Very popular in Europe.

White Spruce - Picea glauca - needles ½ to ¾ inch long; green to bluish-green, short, stiff needles; crushed needles have an unpleasant odor; good needle retention. State tree of South Dakota.

Make sure you choose a Christmas tree that suits the size of your room. A Christmas tree should catch everyone's attention without being obtrusive. Decorate the Christmas tree tastefully. Remember, it is not always the most expensive decorations that make the most beautiful ones. You can use your skill and a little bit of imagination to create the most beautiful decorations with the most commonplace things.

Rings, bells and candies wrapped in beautiful colored wrappers are the one of the best ways to decorate the Christmas tree. Baubles, both store bought and homemade, as well as other tinsels are great in decorating your Christmas tree. Use battery operated lights to decorate the tree. This will save you the inconvenience of tripping on electric cords, which anyway look quite clumsy on the floor. Use Christmas wreaths to decorate staircase and the walls.

Trees generally play a very important role in Christmas home decoration. Apart from the usual Christmas tree, you can also decorate other plants in the house with candies in wrappers, lights and chocolates and place them at various points of your house. Together, they will create a wonderful atmosphere for the festivities to take place.