In many parts of the country, people celebrate Christmas with a living tree. They like the idea of not killing the tree and usuall intend to plant it in the yard after the holidays. The roots are kept in a “ball” of earth. The ball can be wrapped in burlap or set into a biodegradable container or pot.
Best Species for Live Christmas Tree
Many folks prefer to use a “live” Christmas tree for the holidays and then be able to plant the tree outside to offer pleasure for decades. We discuss the care of the “live” tree later in this file. The first question is what kind of tree makes the best “live” tree? The answer in part is determined by which species are being sold in your neighborhood garden centers. In any case, unlike folks buying a cut tree that will be thrown away after the holiday, you need to give special attention to how big your cute little “live” tree is going to get 20 years for now. You need to be sure you have the space to grow that tree you intend to plant after Christmas.
Again, unlike the folks buying the cut tree, you are not limited to having a species of tree traditionally used at Christmas such as the Scotch Pine or Blue Spruce. You can use almost any evergreen tree that you feel is attractive and will work well later in the home landscape. So the trees to consider as "live" trees are evergreens, that include arborvitae, junipers, Canadian hemlock, Scotch pine, white pine, blue spruce, Douglas fir, Balsam fir, and red cedar. Be sure you check to make sure your selection is going to thrive in your zone after it is planted.
