image used as white space
MSUcares header Link to home page
Logos of MSU, Extension Service, and MAFES Links to home page of website.

Garden Tips Newsletter

Picking the Perfect Christmas Tree
December 4, 2000

Christmas is right around the corner along and it is time to put up a Christmas tree. Here are a few tips for selecting a cut tree:

  • Look at the tree from a distance and from several angles. Make sure the tree has a good shape, color, fragrance, and that there are no "holes." The trunk should be nearly straight and not too visible.
  • Slightly bend a branch. If the tree is fresh, the branch should bend easily and not break.
  • Look for sticky sap on the trunk. While the sap can be a nuisance -- it is a sign that the tree is still fresh.
  • Grab a handful of needles and pull gently. Very few needles, if any should come loose.
  • Shake the tree to see if this is a tree that will drop a lot of needles.

Lelia Scott Kelly, Ph.D., writes Garden Tips weekly and is a Horticulture Specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. Her office is in the North Mississippi Research & Extension Center, Verona.