Christmas is a season for your senses. You can feel the cold of the snow or the warmth of the fire. Most homes are filled with the smell of cookies or pies. When you choose to add a real Christmas tree to your decorations, you will also add to the perfect smell of Christmas. The needles of Christmas trees can feel soft to the touch or nice and sharp.
However, not all evergreens make good Christmas trees. Even a tree with the perfect shape may not deliver a wonderful aroma. With Christmas quickly approaching, you can keep an eye out for these tree species.
Overall, Christmas tree farms will carry the same types of trees around the country. Different firs and pines are the most popular choices for Christmas trees. Both genera grow into a magnificent pyramidal shape. Moreover, the shade of green needles varies greatly. Besides holding a perfect shape, firs and pines also emit a wonderful aroma.
If you do not like the fragrance of a Christmas tree, but still want a real tree, choose the Leyland cypress. Altogether, the scent is minimal without detracting from the beauty.
The top 5 best smelling Christmas trees are:
1. Balsam Fir
By far, the most popular Christmas tree species for fragrance is the balsam fir. Customers will most likely find this tree for sale in the Northeast United States. It is sold in these regions because the balsam fir thrives in this environment. Tree farmers throughout the Northeast love to plant this tree in abundance.
Overall, the balsam fir grows well in colder climates. The needles are dark green and emit a smell that perfectly matches Christmas. Some may even call the smell spicy. The needles are soft so many crafters use them for wreaths and garlands.
Left to grow naturally, the balsam fir can reach 75 feet in height and 25 feet in width. Altogether, the tree will grow into a symmetrical pyramid. One con to the balsam fir for tree farmers is that it grows very slowly. You can expect a balsam fir to grow less than one foot a year.
2. Monterey Pine
Monterey pines grow into beautiful, full Christmas trees. These trees grow across the west coast. It displays unique needles that are incredibly long. Because the Monterey pine is native to California, you will likely not find them for sale anywhere else. In nature, Monterey pines grow to 100 feet in height. The pine needles can measure six inches in length.
Altogether, Monterey pines produce a similar smell to the balsam fir. They just support a different market. Other countries like Australia, New Zealand, and Chile have transplanted this tree. In these other locations, the Monterey pines are thriving. Otherwise, the Monterey pine is completely intolerant to transportation and shipping.
Sadly, the Monterey pine is under threat of fungal disease across California. Overall, the Monterey pine is considered critically endangered.
3. Fraser Fir
Fraser firs grow naturally across the East Coast. Of course, customers can find the Fraser fir for sale in these areas easily. Some portions of the United States struggle to support the growth of the evergreens needed to make the perfect Christmas tree. However, this tree can also tolerate transportation well to other areas.
The aroma from the Fraser fir is milder than the other trees on this list, but still creates a beautiful environment.
The Fraser fir is a beautiful fir tree. Anyone who has decorated with a real Christmas tree knows the struggle of cleaning up falling needles. By far, the Fraser is the best choice for needle retention, which is another feature that makes it great for shipping.
Overall, the Fraser fir is a species that is highly commercialized. There are only small areas where it is growing untouched in nature. You will mostly find it planted by arborists as decorations or by tree farmers.
Untouched, the Fraser fir will grow up to 50 feet in height with a 25-foot spread. Altogether, the needles are about 1” in length and incredibly soft.
4. Scots Pine
The Scots pine is almost the perfect Christmas tree. Notably, the needles rarely fall off, it tolerates transportation well, and the branches point upwards. Additionally, the Scots pine emits a lovely pine smell. In fact, the Scots pine is one of the most planted pines in the country.
Sadly, the needles are very sharp, which makes this tree difficult to handle and decorate. The challenge is worth it for the aroma and the striking blue-green needles. The Scots pine grows between one to two feet per year. Ultimately, this tree will grow to 60 feet in height with a 40-foot spread.
The Scots pine naturally grows across Europe and Asia. It grows best in colder climates, especially at altitude. Much of Europe favors the Scots pine for their choice of Christmas tree. Certainly, the needle coloring and needle retention are major advantages for this tree species.
Read More
If you are enjoying this article and you are curious about the types of trees we are describing we have more in-depth articles, where you can learn more about the trees
5. Colorado Blue Spruce
The Colorado blue spruce is a picture-perfect tree. It holds its pyramidal shape very well after cutting. Overall, the branches are incredibly strong to hold ornaments and sustain shipment. The spruce still releases a lovely pine smell to give you the feeling of Christmas. It is worth noting that the needles are very sharp, making this tree difficult to handle and decorate.
Unique to the line of blue spruces is the needle color. The needles display a lovely blue hue. In the wild, the Colorado blue spruce easily reaches 70 feet in height. Despite its height, the spread is small at only 20 feet.
Besides tree farmers, gardeners and urban planners choose the blue spruce for its beauty and strength. It makes an excellent wind and privacy screen. Altogether, the Colorado blue spruce grows at a medium rate.
Blue spruces grow naturally in the Midwest. However, it tolerates cold well. Farmers on the East Coast plant it in abundance to sell during the Christmas season.
