Symbolizing Christmas, the fir tree is a holiday essential. Here’s a look at their preferences. Decked out in colors and lights, ornaments and garlands, the fir tree on its own embodies Christmas. Natural trees take the top spot in households, making up 84.6% of sales, according to a recent studies. The natural trend helps it outshine the artificial tree, which is seeing declining sales (15.4%).
As for the natural tree’s rising share, Nordmann fir is primarily responsible. Indeed, the share of spruce is dwindling.
| Nordmann fir | Norway spruce |
|---|---|
| Botanical name: Abies nordmanniana | Botanical name: Picea abies |
| Appearance: dense, regular and well-balanced shape | Appearance: traditional pyramidal shape with a more natural look |
| Needles: soft, glossy and dark green | Needles: shorter, stiff and sharper |
| Needle retention: excellent, even when kept indoors for several weeks | Needle retention: more limited, especially in a warm or dry room |
| Fragrance: light and subtle | Fragrance: strong, resinous and traditionally associated with Christmas |
| Indoor warmth: tolerates heated rooms better | Indoor warmth: more sensitive to heat and dry air |
| Decorating: soft needles make it comfortable to decorate | Decorating: prickly needles can make decorating less comfortable |
| Best feature: long-lasting foliage and elegant appearance | Best feature: classic Christmas-tree scent and traditional character |
| Price: generally more expensive | Price: generally more affordable |
| Best choice if: you want a Christmas tree that stays attractive for a long time | Best choice if: you want a traditional, fragrant Christmas tree |
In terms of tree varieties, the Nordmann leads with 70% of sales, outdoing the spruce (30% market share). Most of these trees are bought cut, and those sold in pots or with a root clump are less popular, representing only 10% of sales.
One advantage of the Nordmann is that it lasts longer than the spruce and doesn’t shed its needles. These qualities are reflected in its price: Nordmann fir costs nearly double that of spruce on average.
Purchases mainly occur in the first half of December, according to more than half of households (56.5%). Usually, chosen trees stand between 3and 5 feet (between 1 and 1.5 meters), but a growing number of families aim for bigger: 34.3% of them are buying a tree taller than 5 feet (more than 1.5 meters)!
Christmas tree producers want to clarify one thing: trees are not cut down from forests, but grown by farmers. For example, they cultivate these on tens of thousands of acres (over 5,000 hectares). Crop rotation is implemented to fertilize the soil and avoid its acidification.
Being biodegradable, a real tree is a green choice compared to plastic ones that are hard to recycle and often travel long distances.
Want to limit pollution tied to transport? Choose a “local-grown” tree! Some growers label their trees with the actual origin and travel distances, a practice set to become the norm.
