Millions of Christmas trees are sold each year in the United States, placed in stands, decorated for the holidays, and enjoyed throughout the season. It’s a given that cultivating these trees is a serious undertaking. It’s no secret that North Carolina grows an enormous number of Fraser fir trees each year, Grumpy’s top choice for a holiday decoration. We can’t help but wonder: How long does a Christmas tree take to grow?
There is no single answer to the question of what type of Christmas tree is best for the holiday season in the United States and around the world. For the holidays, the most common trees are fir, pine, cypress, and cedar. All three of these, Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), Douglas fir, and Leyland cypress, are popular in the South, where they thrive. There are some species that grow more quickly than others, and each has its own unique requirements for nutrients in the soil and water. It can take as long as 15 years or as little as 4 years to grow a tree of typical height (6-7 feet), but the average growing time is 7 years, as stated by the National Christmas Tree Association. The following is a list of the fastest and slowest growing Christmas trees in the South.
For those of you who are sick and tired of having to deal with the hordes of holiday shoppers at your local hardware store or driving 50 miles to the nearest tree farm with a car full of sugar-crazed children, there is a solution. Growing your own Christmas trees is something you might want to think about doing this year.
Why Plant a Christmas Tree in Your Backyard?
Creating your own Christmas trees from seedlings can be a fun and educational project for the whole family, and it’s a great way to build family ties and teach children about nature. Saving money in the long run and giving your family the opportunity to enjoy the freshest possible trees grown in an environmentally responsible manner are both advantages of growing your own fir or pine.
How to Select a Tree
Evergreen trees come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Decide on the species of Christmas tree you want to grow by weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Firs
In today’s market, firs are among the most popular commercial Christmas trees available. Firs are well-liked because of their pleasant aroma, eye-catching foliage, and the ability to keep their needles throughout the winter. It is common knowledge that most fir species prefer cooler or higher altitude environments, but Douglas and Concolor firs can grow in slightly warmer climates.
- Fraser Fir: mountain range in the Appalachians Mountains (zones 4-7)
- Douglas Fir: tree species most commonly found in the United States (zones 4-6)
- Concolor Fir: in English, “White Fir” (zones 4-7)
- Balsam Fir: to be used in areas with a lot of snow (zones 3-6)
- Noble Fir: North America’s tallest native fir (zones 4-5)
Pines
It’s not uncommon for pines to thrive in both warm and cold climate zones, which sets them apart from most firs. A healthy pine tree can reach 6 to 7 feet in height in just 6 years under ideal conditions.
- White Pine: North America’s tallest native pine tree species (zones 3-8)
- Virginia Pine: in the most arid conditions, it thrives and has prickly cones (zones 4-8)
- Scotch Pine: strong ability to withstand poor soil conditions (zones 3-7)
- Sand Pine: very good for hot climates (zones 7-10)
Spruces
A spruce tree is a good option for those who want a festive, old-fashioned Christmas tree feel. There are, however, some serious drawbacks to using spruce trees for Christmas trees, including sharp needles and poor needle retention if they are displayed for more than a couple of weeks. There are a number of spruce species that thrive in colder climates.
Norway Spruce: native to Europe, but widely used in North America (zones 2-7)
Colorado Blue Spruce: blue-green needles are a trademark of this indigenous species (zone 4 to 7a)
Cedars and Cypresses
Trying to find a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree? The Leyland cypress or the native Eastern Redcedar are good examples of non-traditional tree species to use in your landscaping project. The Leyland cypress, on the other hand, can grow to a height of 6 to 7 feet in just four years with a little shaping.
- Leyland Cypress: Under ideal conditions, fast-growing plants can reach a height of three feet per year (zones 6-10)
- Arizona Cypress: a different native species that’s on the rise (zones 7-9)
- Eastern Redcedar: beautiful blueberries in the dense foliage (zones 2-9)
Cooperative extension agents are excellent sources of information when it comes to questions about which tree species are appropriate for your area. To learn more about your state’s extension service, use the USDA locator website.
For Christmas Trees, Land Preparation
Traditional Christmas trees, such as pines, firs, and spruces, can usually be grown successfully if you have a sunny location with well-drained soil. Unless the planting site is located on a slope, which allows excess moisture to runoff, heavy clay soils are detrimental to most of these trees. The only thing that needs to be done before planting is to mow the area or use mechanical cultivation to reduce the existing vegetation.
Planting a Christmas Tree: Some Ideas
When it comes to tree seedling planting, proper spacing and depth are two of the most critical considerations. The most common recommendation for planting Christmas trees is to arrange them in rows eight feet apart. Seedlings should be planted 7 or 8 feet apart in each row. To reduce the risk of disease and pest problems, trees must be spaced properly.
The success of your young trees depends heavily on the depth of each seedling that you plant. You must plant seeds exactly where they were grown in the nursery, no more, no less. The tree will be weakened or killed if the seedlings are planted too deeply or too shallowly. Look for a color shift on the trunk that indicates the seedling was originally grown at a surface level to determine the correct depth. After you’ve planted the seedling, make sure to water it thoroughly and gently spread the roots around.
In addition, you may want to think about varying the spacing of your plants. Growers can ensure that you have healthy trees for many years to come by spreading out the planting of seedlings each spring rather than doing it all at once.
Maintaining and caring for evergreen trees
Aside from watering, weeding, and shaping, Christmas trees require little in the way of upkeep. Seedlings should be watered weekly from late spring to early fall for the first year. Watering trees only becomes necessary during prolonged droughts after the first year of establishment. Regular mowing, home cultivation, or careful weed-eating around the young trees is necessary to keep the planting site free of weeds. Young trees will suffer if grasses and weeds are allowed to grow unchecked because they compete for water and nutrients with the taller plants.
Young evergreen trees need to be shaped by pruning or shearing every year after the trees flush their new growth after the first two or three years (typically mid-summer). If possible, keep the classic Christmas tree shape while removing flaws like double tops during the shaping process. Keep the shearing to a minimum the year before you plan to harvest your tree to avoid visible cuts on the outside branches.
Is it normal for my needles to start shedding?
Every year, evergreens lose about 30% of their needles. Tree needles that are more than two years old are expelled in the course of this natural shedding process. A disease or pest infestation can be detected by looking for needle drops or yellowing on the outside of the plant.
Christmas trees can be harvested at any time of year.
Trees typically reach a height of 6 to 7 feet in six to nine years under ideal conditions. A handsaw or chainsaw can be used to successfully harvest your tree once it has reached the desired height. Make sure to keep your Christmas tree watered immediately after the initial cut, or you’ll have a shorter tree that won’t last as long as you’d hoped. As an alternative, harvest the tree earlier and then use a saw to make a second thin cut from the trunk when you’re ready to display it.
Your family will have a great time growing their very own Christmas tree for years to come. The best possible Christmas trees are well worth the time and effort.
