Varieties

Virginia Pine

    Virginia pines are the “scotch pines of the south” and stay green longer than any other tree. They have stout branches that can hold heavy ornaments.

White Pine

    White pines bring us the aroma of the north woods.  Their needles are longer and softer than those of the Virginia pine and have a blue-green color.

Cedar

    Cedars are the traditional southern Christmas tree.  They are what Grandpa used to cut out in the back pasture.  They are very fragrant and make the whole house “smell like Christmas.”  They may have small prickly needles.

Leyland Cypress

    Leyland cypress is new to the industry but has become very popular not only because they make a beautiful, long-lasting tree, but also because they do not drop dead needles on the floor.

Carolina Sapphire

    This is another “clean” tree that does not drop dead needles on the floor.  It also has a very strong, clean, piney aroma.  Its foliage is a light blue-green.

Green Giant Arbor Vitae

    This is the newest kid on the block.  It is like the Leyland and the Sapphire in that it does not drop dead needles on the floor.  It’s appeal is that it has a sweet, almost perfumed aroma.

Juniper

    Junipers love our eastern wetlands where the lumber from large trees is used in ship-building.  They are popular as Christmas trees in the eastern part of our state but do not last as long as the other trees.  Those who have used them tell us that they make an excellent two or three week tree, especially because they are priced so low.

Fraser Fir

    Frasers do not grow in our area because they need the cool weather of our mountains. Ours are shipped in from a farm near Boone, NC. Their strong branches allow for easy decoration, and they have a pleasant aroma.

Tree Care

    The most important thing in taking care of your tree is to keep it fresh! The best way to do this is to keep it in water. There are many products you can buy to put in the water but the folks who do the research tell us that all the tree needs is water.  If you don’t plan to put up your tree as soon as you get it home, set it in a bucket of water, in a cool shady spot. When you set it up in the house use a stand that contains water and be sure to keep the stand full.

    If you buy your tree at a tree lot or supermarket be sure to put a fresh cut on the base before you put it in water at home. You don’t need to do this if you buy one of our pre-cut trees because we do it for you!

    When setting up your tree do not place it near a heat outlet, stove or fire place.  Set it in a cool, unheated corner to prolong its life.

The Environment

    After you take your tree down it can still be of environmental value. Most cities now have equipment to convert your tree to soil-enriching mulch.  You may also contribute it to the lake where you fish.  Placed in shallow water, Christmas trees make excellent “hides” where young fish can escape being eaten by larger fish.  You may prefer to set your tree in the back yard where songbirds can use it to get out of the cold winter wind.  If you do this you might want to hang some suet or bird feed in the tree as well.