Elsa Pataky's Christmas Tree Is Thriving in Summer – Here's How You Can Give Your Tree the Same Special Treatment

Elsa Pataky, model, actress, and wife to Chris Hemsworth, shared a glimpse of her Christmas tree on Instagram in 2023, and left fans scratching their heads. Many people are aware that the couple lives with their children in Byron Bay, Australia, and in December it’s summer time there. So, how do they keep their Christmas tree healthy in a warm and sunny climate, rather than the snow-dusted wintery setup? And what about people with a fireplace?

If you live somewhere warm, have a sunny home, or your tree is in a living room with a fireplace, you can absolutely make it work without watching your Christmas tree turn yellow and dry out before the holidays are over.

Choose Heat-Tolerant “Christmas Trees” for Warm Areas

More traditional firs and spruce varieties love cold weather, so they'll certainly struggle in a warmer climate or even a warm room. Instead, look for potted evergreens that can handle heat and sun a bit better.

Great options include:

• Norfolk Island pine
• Lemon cypress
• Italian stone pine
• Rosemary trained into a tree form

You can get a starter Norfolk Island Pine at Lowe’s that works beautifully as a living Christmas tree.

According to Paloma Cariñanos of the Department of Botany at the University of Granada in Spain, “Species more typical of Mediterranean climates are increasingly being used, such as cypresses, which are also favored by their conical shape, pines (P. halepensis), which can be decorated indoors and outdoors, and olive trees are becoming increasingly common outdoors.”

Bonus Tip: Get a potted version rather than a cut tree so you can plant it and reuse it year after year.

Create a Cool, Shaded Garden Nook Outdoors

If you're decorating a tree outdoors, keep it in a protected spot like a covered patio, pergola, or shaded porch. This mimics the forest understory where many evergreens naturally grow.

Use light-colored, breathable pots like terracotta or concrete to keep roots cool. This large terra cotta-style pot from Amazon has a drainage hole and can be used indoors or outdoors.

Bonus Tip: Put your tree in an area where it gets bright but indirect light rather than the harsh, afternoon sun.

Keep the Soil Consistently Moist

Cariñanos tells us, “It is very important to keep the soil consistently moist.” This is the most important tip for keeping a Christmas tree in a warm climate.

Warm air dries out soil quickly, especially in container-grown Christmas trees. Check the soil daily by sticking your finger in to about 1 inch deep. If it feels dry, water it thoroughly until it drains out the hole from the bottom.

Cariñanos recommends installing drip irrigation or adding water continuously. She also says, “Moistening the leaves with a spray bottle is also beneficial. Installing lights in containers increases both the amount of sunlight and the risk of dehydration, and may necessitate more frequent and intense watering.”

These self-watering plant globes from Amazon are perfect and come with a pH and moisture sensor.

Bonus Tip: To slow the evaporation process, add mulch on top of the soil, like pine bark or coconut coir.

Protect Your Tree from Heat Sources Indoors

Obviously, if you'll have your Christmas tree indoors, as most of us do, placement is of the utmost importance. Put it as far away from fireplaces, heating vents, and radiators as possible. Try your best to display the tree in a bright corner with steady temperatures.

Try using a plant stand that lifts your tree off hot flooring and improves air circulation. This Tree Nest from Amazon is perfect and has a cool Scandinavian look.

Bonus Tip: A small room humidifier near your tree can prevent the dreaded needle dropping and browning.

Decorate Lightly and Naturally

If you live in a warm climate, it’s best to decorate with lighter decor rather than going full-on Home Alone. Skip heavy tinsel and opt for:

• Wooden ornaments
• Dried orange slices
• Raffia bows
• LED micro-lights

Enjoy a Tree That Lives Beyond Christmas

Cariñanos notes that heat-tolerant options like Pinus halepensis and Cupressus species tolerate dry, warm indoor air surprisingly well, although cypress pollen can be allergenic for sensitive people. For patios, trees like olive, laurel, holm oak, or even pomegranate thrive beautifully in containers.

One thing, Cariñanos says, remains true for all of them: “Any leafy species… needs plenty of water and moist but well-drained soil to prevent waterlogging and fungal growth.”

Elsa Pataky’s warm-weather Christmas tree is an inspiration to everyone who doesn't have that classic holiday climate. Christmas doesn’t always need snow – it just needs a little greenery, good light, and some thoughtful care.