PHOTO BY DEBRA BURROWS This Canaan fir, with soft, short needles and strong branches, is just one of many choices for Christmas trees.

It’s that time of year when many of us are thinking about Christmas trees. These days, growers offer a variety of trees to consider. Which is the best one for you? It often comes down to understanding what each tree has to offer and matching that with your family’s preferences and expectations. To help you choose, let’s look at the characteristics of some of the trees available in central Pennsylvania.

Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) is among the most popular because of its many desirable qualities. It has beautiful deep green needles on strong branches. The needles are short (about one half to one inch) and soft to the touch. The branching structure usually provides room for decorations, and the strong branches can accommodate large, heavy ornaments. Fraser fir trees have a very pleasant fragrance and excellent needle retention.

Canaan fir (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepis) has strong branches covered in soft, short, medium green needles with whitish undersides. Like the Fraser fir, Canaan firs have a nice fragrance and adequate space for ornaments, depending upon how they have been pruned by the grower. Their needle retention is good, but not quite as good as the Fraser fir.

The Concolor fir (Abies concolor) stands out because of its light, bluish green color and longer needles, which usually reach 1.5 to two inches. They are also known for the delightful citrusy aroma given off when their needles are crushed. Concolor branches are relatively strong, but not quite as strong as those of Fraser and Canaan firs. They tend to be dense with a little less space for ornaments and offer good needle retention.

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is technically not a fir at all. Although it’s a member of the genus Pseudotsuga, it is commonly called Douglas fir because of its resemblance to fir trees. The needles are one to 1.5 inches long, soft and medium green in color, although there can be some variations that make it appear lighter or darker. Needle retention is good and the needles give off a pleasant, mild fragrance when crushed. The branches of Douglas fir tend to bend easily and are not well suited for hanging heavier ornaments.

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is native to Pennsylvania and has long been a Christmas staple. Its bluish green and silvery needles are soft and long, usually between two and five inches. It has a mild fragrance and good needle retention. White pines grown as Christmas trees are often sheared by growers, giving them a dense, full appearance. The branches are very flexible, making them unsuitable for heavy ornaments. Because of the especially long needles, extra-long ornament hooks are usually needed when decorating.

Pinus sylvestris, commonly called Scotch pine in the United States, is a traditional favorite with its pleasant fragrance, strong branches and excellent needle retention. Needles are somewhat stiff, between one and three inches in length and bright medium green. Scotch pines can be dense or more open, depending upon the amount of shearing done by the grower.

Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens) can make an eye-catching Christmas tree, but there are some things to consider before selecting one. Blue spruce needles are especially stiff and sharp and can cause injury. Gloves and long sleeves are recommended when handling or decorating a blue spruce. The needles are a silvery blue color, about one inch in length, and borne on strong branches which can readily handle heavy ornaments. Although beautiful, blue spruces tend to dry out quickly if not watered diligently, leading to poor needle retention.

White spruce (Picea glauca) also makes an attractive Christmas tree. Their deep green needles are short (less than one inch) and not quite as stiff and sharp as those of blue spruce. Branches tend to be strong and can support heavier ornaments. As with other spruces, they can dry out quickly and have generally poor needle retention.

Properly setting up and maintaining a Christmas tree is just as important as choosing the right tree. Penn State has detailed information on caring for and keeping a tree looking fresh extension.psu.edu/tips-for-selection-and-care-of-cut-christmas-trees .

Now that you know a little more about the attributes of various types of Christmas trees, I hope you and your family will find the perfect tree and have a very happy holiday season.

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Debra C. Burrows, PhD, is a retired Penn State Extension Educator and a certified Master Gardener. She can be reached at dcb3@psu.edu.