Christmas Tree Varieties (Northern Regions)

Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year! You can't beat getting that perfect Christmas tree, with that scent to fill your home! In this post I will be sharing the best Christmas tree varieties! I will not be sharing all of them, as there are several species grown in the south, also some grown out west, and southwest. I am not sharing. Most of these trees are grown up north in colder regions, where winter can get near or below zero (°F). When getting a Christmas tree it is really important to have it in water. Once the tree is cut, if the bottom is not trimmed within 2 hours it will calloused over, or basically heal over, and will not absorb any water. You only cut 1/2" off the base. It must be in water within. 2 hours, or it will need to be cut again. It should survive and retain it's needles for over a month, from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

1. Fraser Fir (Most Popular Christmas tree)

The most widly distributed Christmas tree in the market in the US. It is litterally the perfect tree. Best needle retention of any conifer, extremely soft, tiny, compacted needles, very full look, and perfect shape, extremely strong branches to hold the heaviest of ornaments. You could not get a better species for Christmas tree. 

2. Scotch Pine (Once was most popular, currently most popular Pine Christmas tree)

Scotch Pine once once the go to Christmas tree out of all others, but once the Fraser Fir came into the spotlight, it's popularity dropped. Before Fraser Fir, you could not get a better tree for neat short needles, with a very compacted look. Just because Fraser Fir is better, doesn't mean Scotch Pinr should be off you list as a potential winner this Christmas. I personally have been getting a Fraser Fir every year, and I need a mix up. I want something new and exciting. Scotch Pine is a true Pine, and looks more natural. If a tree like Fraser Fir is too perfect, it appears to be unnatural. In fact I got a Scotch Pine yesterday on Black Friday. I went to a tree farma and cut down a 6.5' tree. Scotch Pine has very strong branches to hold heavy ornaments, good needle rentention, short, compacted needles for a more neat look, but still looks open and certainly less compacted due to having longer Pine needles.

3. Eastern White Pine 

Eastern White Pine is a great Christmas tree. It has long needles to add the more natural Pine look. They almost feel artificial at the same time by being extremely soft to the touch. The only downside is the tree hase very weak branches. It can only hold light ornaments. For people who don't have heavy metal ornaments, this is the tree for you. Some people have cheap plastic ornaments, this tree is fine for that. Good needle retention.

4. Virginia Pine

While this tree is popular mostly in the south where it's native, it is very hardy far north of it's habitat to -30°F. It is very similar to Scotch Pine by having short compcated needles and branches. Good needle retention, strong branches.

5. White Fir

Lots of places don't use this tree, as it is relatively new tree to the Christmas tree market. It is increasingly growing in popularity. It has the long needles like a Pine, but is very soft. It looks nothing like the Fraser Fir, but since it's a Fir, it has extremely storng branches to hold the heaviest of ornaments, and fanatastic needle retention.

6. Canaan Fir (Fraser Fir (Balsam) variety) 

Nearly indistinguishable from Fraser Fir, with the same attributes of Fraser Fir. The reason why it's grown is because, in some places Fraser Fir doesn't grow as successfully, so some places grow Canaan Fir as a alternative. You won't regret getting this instead of your favorite Fraser Fir.

                           Indiana Tree Farm     

                                  Scotch Pine

                                   Scotch Pine

                                   Canaan Fir

Eastern White Pine

                                Virginia Pine

                                    White Fir

Tropical Plants Covered in Ice

My 'Edith Bogue' Southern Magnolia and Needle Palm got covered in an (unexpected) ice storm the other day. The NWS was predicting 1"-3" of snow with some sleet possible. In the middle of the storm at 1 in the morning the NWS changed the Winter Weather Advisory to an Ice Storm Warning. I was shocked when I saw the ice. Ice storms are not uncommon, but in the middle of November in Indiana is unheard of. It was very "cool" to see it on my cold hardy tropicals though! We got 0.25" of ice and no snow.

Tropical life in Indiana! Cowabunga dudes! 🌴❄️



NatureMan

Growing Coconut Palm's in Florida

Florida is NOT tropical. It is sub-tropical. All of Florida can see freezing or near freezing temperatures, even Miami. In fact every couple of years you can expect Miami Florida to see temps in the 30s with frost. It has even snowed once in Miami in January 1977. True tropical regions are areas where it never dips below 50°F. This would be places near the equator. Florida is far from the equator. Places like Brazil where the Amazon Rainforest is, and Indonesia are Tropical places because they have temperatures that rarely dip below 50°F, and are close to or at the equator. It is a world of a difference from Tallahassee to Miami. It can be 20°F in Tallahassee and 60°F in Miami. But every so often, temps below 40°F that brings frost/freeze threat reaches Miami. Many non-natives don't realize that in Miami its happen far more than  they think. In fact at least once every couple years, if not once per year, temps will dip into the 30s in Miami/south Florida. There are deciduous trees and Pine trees that go dormant in the winter from cold all the way down to the Florida Keys. Bald Cypress is a deciduous Conifer, that drops it's leaves in the winter, and is the dominant tree in the Everglades. The Red Maple a Maple tree growing from South Florida (like Miami) to southern Canada (like Toronto) in it's native range.

I just wanted to share that so you guys can understand why you can't Grow Coconut Palm trees in most of Florida. Only the southern areas have potential to grow it. The Coconut Palm has virtually no cold tolerance. Only tolerating temps to right above 32°F. It has been known to survive temps at the freezing point for brief periods of time with significant damage, but recovering. The coldest average temperature in Florida ranges from 15°F (Northern FloridaF to near 40°F at it's southern most tip (Keys). Miami, to the Everglades, down to the Keys are the best areas for growing the Coconut Palm. There is one exception, people have had success growing it north, only along the coast to near Tampa, and along the other coast to near Melbourne. But even there they may survive many years, but a rare but likely cold front where temps dip to the freezing point is bound to happen that will kill them. I was in Ana Maria Island (near Tampa) earlier last Spring, on the beach I saw a few Coconut Palm's. That is the absolute farthest north it can grow. I am sure in the past it has had some severe damage from the cold, but recovered. It will die in the coming years eventually, it is inevitable. But can survive quite a while, due to the coastal warm air. Tampa has dipped to the upper 20s in recent years, but places on the coast like Ana Maria Island stayed above freezing or warmer due to the breeze off the warm waters.

I have made some maps that give an idea where to grow Coconut Palms. The second map I circled the two areas along it's growing range, that simply shows you can grow it in those areas, but will need protection in the coldest of times, or it will probably die.

NatureMan

                                Found Online
 

                                     Found Online

         
 Found Online: Coconut Palm in St. Petersburg
 

Next three pictures are mine: Coconut Palm's in Ana Maria Island

How to Keep Potted Plants Dormant

I grow plants in my yard, I have many that aren't big enough to plant, or don't have room. So I grow them in pots untill I know what to do with them, or untill they reach a good size to plant. So it is not a problem in the summer. Just watering them every day of course! 😉 You can not leave plants in pot outside in the winter. The cold air will kill the roots. While yes, even if it's cold hardy below zero (°F), that is if it's planted in the ground protected from cold drying winds. In thin pots, temps below 20°F can kill a plant hardy to -20°F. So what is the best thing to do to keep plants dormant in the winter?

The best thing to do is keep them unprotected for the first several freezes, so long as temps don't drop below 20°F. Once temps are forecasted to dip below 20°F, but not below 10°F. Wrap the pots very thick with burlap. This will protect the roots while the plant itself is fine in the cold. This ensures if you didn't have a long enough time between your first frost and temps below 20°F to  put your plants dormant. Once temps get below 10°F, the plants must be put in a cool garage, or green house of some sort. You can not bring them indoors because they will wake up from dormancy and die because they weren't dromant long enough. General rule of thumb, plants that are hardy to at least 0°F or colder need at least 2 months of dormancy at the least. So let's say it's -10°F outside, but in your green house or cool garage it is 30°F. That is still cold enough to keep them dormant, but not cold enough to kill the roots.

I hope this helps you grow potted perennials successfully!

NatureMan

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the last 2 pictures. I found them online. I do own the first 3 ones though. The photos that are not mine are just for demonstration and educational purposes.

Norfolk Island Pine

The Norfolk Island Pine is a spectacular tropical Christmas tree! While not a true Pine, it is reltated to Pine by being a conifer. It is not cold hardy. So it can not tolerate temperatures below freezing. The only places this can be grown outdoors year round is from Central to southern Florida, southern Texas, California along the coasts from San Fransisco to San Diego. I have seen specimens as far north as Tampa, but not any farther north than that. Even there they can get severe damage or death from the cold. On occasion it can dip to freezing or slightly below. If the plant is mature and well established, it may survive those temps very briefly with only some damage. Young plants not matured will most likely completely die from temps at 32°F or colder. In true tropical places like Southern Florida and Hawaii they are really popular Christmas trees! They are grown on farms and cut down and decorated for the holidays! In the north they make perfect houseplants and are sold as potted plants from little 4 inch containers to 40 inch containers usually only a few feet tall at the most. In my area in Indianapolis they have them at Lowe's. I bought a nice one that is in 40 inch pot and around 3'-4' tall or so. To add some height I put it on a raised stand. I had one for many years I bought at that same size. For almost 7 years I had it. I accidentally killed it with too much fertilizer. It was about 7' or 8' tall when it died. So in another sveral years this one should get big! It may take over 2 decades before the plant becomes too big for the home if bought small. So no need to worry that it will outgrow your home anytime soon!

Light: Indirect light to full sun. If grown in shade, make sure it is within 10 feet from a window, and is well lit, not dark in a room without a window. Very adaptable to full shade to full sun. Make sure if you change it from full shade to sun you give it mostly shade with some sun for several weeks then slowly bring it to more sun. Do the opposite when bringing from full sun to shade. If you bring it immediately from sun to shade or shade to sun, the plant will go through shock and will die. It needs to slowly adapt to drastic changes.

Water: Good drought tolerance. Outside it grows in California with near desert conditions. Inside with a decent size plant at least 1'-2' tall when established in a big pot, water once every 2 weeks or so. As a small plant under 1' tall in a small pot water weekly. Make sure the soil completely dries out in between waterings. Stick your finger in the first several inches of the soil to be sure. Also make sure there are drainage holes at the bottom of the pot. Also be sure the pot is under a saucer. If no drainage holes are present it will sit in water, it will get root rot, and it will die.

Prune: The Norfolk Island Pine rarely need any pruning. On occasion if a branch is growing outward, or in an awkwardly position, it may be pruned. It should naturally form a nice pyramidal Christmas Tree shape. After many many years indoors, if the tree becomes to tall for your home, but you don't want to throw it away, you can cut the crown (top off). But to warn you, it will never have a pyramidal Christmas tree shape again. It will be a ball on a stem. It will send new shoots from the sides and fill out wide not tall. You can also prune the sides of the tree when old indoors, to prevent from widing too much. When grown outdoors in may never need any pruning.

Repot: Repotting Norfolk Island Pine needs to be done every 2-3 years or so. If the roots are compacted it will grow significantly slower, and may become slanted, or grow uneven.

Size: Norfolk Island Pine matures to 60'-100'+ by 20'-30' wide. Some of the tallest specimens have been reported at nearly 200' tall!

How to Propagate Umbrella Papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius)

This plant is so tropical like and adds great texture to the garden or with planters! This species is commonly mistaken with the more popular kind which has leaves that are more thin and fine that droop. The other species is less cold hardy. This species is a dwarf, and matures to 4'-6' tall. It is hardy to USDA Zone 8. It will die back when temps reach freezing, but the roots survive to 10°F. Some report that is will survive near 0°F. It will grow from the roots in the Spring. Most people leave it as a houseplant, then bring it back outside in their gardens or planters. It does not require a dormant period, as it is a cold hardy tropical. I had it as a centerpiece with flowers around it over the summer! This plant grows from full sun to full shade. It prefers more shade than sun though. In full sun it will need more frequent watering in order to thrive. In winter in the home it is very easy to care for in low light. They are basically swamp plants. They grow in water. They die or get severely injured if let to completely dry out. Make sure the soil stays moist at all times. It loves sitting in completely saturated soils. In the winter have a plant saucers underneath the pot and fill the saucer full of water. This should make for less watering in the winter. Before you know it, you can transfer it back outside for the summer!

Propagating the Papyrus plant is extremely easy! You can propagate the other species the exact same, but the pictures and the only plant I used are of the "Alternifolius" species.

STEPS:

1. Cut branches off plant (leaving several inches of the stem for easy holding)

2. Cut back leaves as far back as you can (makes for easier planting)

3. Stick them upside down in a vase of water

4. Within a week or two, roots with new shoots should emerge.

5. Cut back branch stems

6. Plant in soil

7. Water thoroughly