The Christmas tree is one of the most important symbols of Christmas. Many people choose a Christmas tree not only for its appearance. An important consideration is which of them loses needles the latest. And this is where the dilemma arises: which conifer to choose?
Artificial or alive? This is a dilemma that still occurs in many of our households in the weeks leading up to Christmas. While an artificial Christmas tree is simply comfortable, a living tree brings the smell of the forest to your house and apartment. In addition, each live Christmas tree is original in its own way, because it has its own arrangement of branches and shape. And after Christmas you can put it in the compost or plant it in the garden.
Disadvantage? A living tree indoors dries out relatively quickly and loses its needles. And this causes additional worries – every day you have to vacuum the space around the Christmas tree because of falling needles. Therefore, more and more people choose a live Christmas tree based on which tree loses its needles the latest. As every year, there is a wide range of Christmas trees to choose from, for example cut trees and trees sold in pots.
Which live Christmas tree lasts the longest?
Which conifer is best suited as a Christmas tree? Fir, pine and spruce are the most popular Christmas trees. How long you can enjoy green twigs depends on many factors. Above all, it depends on whether the tree has a damaged root system. Trees in pots have a longer lifespan. The condition is that they were grown in them or transplanted in such a way that the root system is not damaged.
Before buying a Christmas tree, ask the seller when the tree was cut down. Ideally, this should happen shortly before its sale. A “fresh” Christmas tree will start shedding needles only after a long time. You can check it yourself. When choosing a Christmas tree, carefully grasp the branch. If the needles start to fall off easily, it is a sign that it is already dry.
Among the cut trees, pine has the longest lifespan and will be a beautiful interior decoration for up to a month. Fir is equally hardy. In this ranking, Norway spruce is slightly worse. Not only that lasts the shortestbut it can start losing its first needles as soon as it enters the room.
How to care for a live Christmas tree at home?
No matter what kind of tree your home hosts during Christmas, you should take proper care of it. Here are some helpful tips.
First, important point. It must not be exposed to a sudden change in temperature. The conifer, which has been outside until now, needs to be given some time to get used to the temperature in the apartment. Ideally, it should even be in a room with a slightly lower temperature for several days. A suitable place is a garage or a cellar.
Another important point is regular watering. A live Christmas tree should be as far away from the radiator and fireplace as possible. This will prevent it from drying out too quickly.
When buying, some people are not guided by the lifespan of the tree, but by the intensity of its scent. And here the roles are reversed. Because although spruce lasts the shortest indoors, it is precisely the spruce that emits an intense resinous smell. In second place is pine, and only in third place is fir (gives off a faint citrus scent).
You don’t have to buy a Christmas tree. These plants are a great way to replace it
