Christmas Tree Glossary

West

1. Colorado Blue Spruce ‘Fat Albert’ (Picea pungens glauca ‘Fat Albert’)
Description: Formal shape and elegant branching habit with bluish foliage
Growth Rate and Height: Slow-growing and small (10 to 15 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide)
Zones: 2–7

2. Grand Fir (Abies grandis ‘Johnsonii’)
Description: Tall and narrow with soft, deep-green, long needles on uniformly spaced branches
Growth Rate and Height: Fast-growing and large (65 feet tall and 10 feet wide)
Zones: 4–7

3. Nordmann Fir (Abies nordmanniana)
Description: Symmetrical, densely branched, cone-shaped tree; excellent choice for containers
Growth Rate and Height: Moderate-growing and medium (30 to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide)
Zones: 4–7

Southwest

1. Eldarica Pine ‘Christmas Blue’ (Pinus eldarica)
Description: Shapely with dense bluish foliage; ideal for dry, hot, windy areas
Growth Rate and Height: Fast-growing and large (30 to 80 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide)
Zones: 6–10

2. Allepo Pine (Pinus Halepensis)
Description: Short branches covered in light green foliage; open branch habit is great for ornaments
Growth Rate and Height: Fast-growing and medium (30 to 60 feet tall and 20 feet wide)
Zones: 6–10

3. Leyland Cypress ‘Emerald Isle’ (Cupressocyparis leylandii)
Description: Fast-growing but easily kept smaller with pruning; narrow, pyramidal shape and soft, deep-green foliage
Growth Rate and Height: Fast-growing and small (20 to 25 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide or 10 to 15 feet tall and 5 to 7 feet wide, if pruned)
Zones: 6–9

Midwest

1. Norway Spruce ‘Columnaris’ (Picea abies)
Description: Strong pyramidal shape with branches arranged in neatly spaced tiers; strong wintergreen fragrance
Growth Rate and Height: Fast-growing and large (60 feet tall and 15 feet wide)
Zones: 3–8

2. Eastern White Pine ‘Fastigiata’ (Pinus strobus)
Description: Narrow and columnar at maturity; nicely tapered shape when young; beautiful, upright pine tree
Growth Rate and Height: Slow-growing and large (50 to 70 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide)
Zones: 3–8

3. White Fir ‘Argentea’ (Abies concolor)
Description: Excellent choice for coldest regions but can tolerate humid summers as well; softer foliage and silvery white leaves make this a popular living Christmas tree
Growth Rate and Height: Slow-growing and large (40 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide)
Zones: 3–7

Southeast

1. Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana)
Description: Maybe not the prettiest Christmas tree, but thrives in most difficult sites
Growth Rate and Height: Slow- to moderate-growing and medium (15 to 40 feet tall and 10 to 30 feet wide)
Zones: 4–8

2. Cypress ‘Carolina Sapphire’ (Cupressus arizonica var. glabra ‘Carolina Sapphire’)
Description: Steely blue-green color; dense lacy foliage; lemon-mint fragrance; bold, pyramidal form; excellent container tree
Growth Rate and Height: Slow- to moderate-growing and small (20 to 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide)
Zones: 6–9

3. Frasir Fir (Abies fraseri)
Description: Elegant pyramidal shape with dense, uniformly horizontal branches; excellent specimen tree
Growth Rate and Height: Slow-growing and medium (30 to 40 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide)
Zones: 4–7

Northeast

1. Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
Description: The iconic Christmas tree with its soft needles, heady fragrance, and evenly spaced branches.
Growth Rate and Height: Medium- to fast-growing and large (50 feet tall and 30 feet wide)
Zones: 3–6

2. Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca albertiana ‘Conica’)
Description: Compact, pyramidal tree with grass-green needles.
Growth Rate and Height: Very slow-growing and small (7 to 10 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide)
Zones: 2–6

3. Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Description: Conical shape with long soft needles on drooping branches
Growth Rate and Height: Large, moderate- to fast-growing (70 to 100 feet tall and 20 to 28 feet wide)
Zones: 3–7

More Holiday Inspiration
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• Instant Winter White

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