Christmas Tree Farm With Several Different Trees
christmas tree variety
(Image credit: Barbie Lee)

What is the Best Christmas Tree for Your Family?

The Christmas tree variety that will work best for you this holiday season depends on whether you are looking at cost, needle retention, or appearance as the top quality for the best type of Christmas tree. Though the number of Christmas tree varieties available is significant, the more popular kinds fall into three main types of trees: fir, spruce, and pine.

Fir Christmas Trees

The Douglas and Frasier are popular Christmas tree varieties in the fir family. The Frasier is usually the most expensive tree available because of its relative rarity and its natural shape. If you are looking for the best type of Christmas tree that does not need shaping, springing for the Frasier fir would be your best option. The Douglas fir is one of the best all-around Christmas tree varieties. The cost is reasonable, and the tree is nicely shaped with full, thick needles. Douglas firs tend to hold their needles very well with and without frequent watering.

Spruce Christmas Trees

The spruce tree adds to the Christmas tree variety for people who are looking for something a bit different. The white spruce, native to Alaska and Canada, has green branches with a white tint, making it look snow-covered. The Norway spruce tree is the best type of Christmas tree for planting in your yard when January comes around. This tree is shaped roughly like a Christmas tree and is strong. The white spruce does beat out the Norway spruce when it comes to needle retention as the Norway spruce can be tougher to keep alive indoors.

Pine Christmas Trees

The white pine is the most common Christmas tree variety sold in some parts of the country. The white pines have long needles, up to 6 inches (15 cm.). The needles are soft to the touch and hold up very well, even in houses where watering the Christmas tree isn't a priority. Whites also have that Christmas tree smell that many associate with the holiday season. The biggest downside to the white pine is the shape, which sometimes needs a bit of work. So, what is the best Christmas tree for your family? Any of these Christmas tree varieties can liven up your holidays.

Brandi Brown
Writer

Brandi Brown is a guest writer for Gardening Know How.