Trees Offer Many Holiday Choices
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Deciding
what toys to buy for the kids is
not the only tough decision to
make this holiday season. Christ
mas trees also have many traits
and sizes.
Overall appearance, color, nee
dle length, branch characteristics
and price are just some of the
things to consider, said Randy
Heiligmann, Ohio State Universi
ty Extension forestry specialist.
More than 30 million real
Christmas trees are purchased
each year in the United States. In
Ohio, more than a million fami
lies will select their trees at a tree
lot or visit an Ohio Christmas
tree farm to select and cut their
own tree.
The most common question
people ask, Heiligmann said, is
“Which species should I buy?”
‘There is no ’right’ answer to that
question,” he said “The ’right’
Christmas tree is very much a
matter of personal taste, and
consumers need to spend some
time learning which species they
prefer.”
While all Christmas trees are
needle-bearing evergreens, there
is a great deal of variation
among the species. There also
can be considerable variation be
tween trees of the same species,
depending on where the trees
were grown and how they were
managed, Heiligmann said.
‘A tightly sheared blue spruce
will, for example, look very dif
ferent from one that has been
lightly sheered throughout its
life,” he said.
To make selection a little easi
er, Christmas tree species can be
divided into two groups pines,
such as Scotch and white pine,
and the single-needle conifers,
including spruces arid firs.
The easiest way to tell the two
groups apart is pines have their
needles attached to branches in
groups of two or more, while sin
gle-needle conifer needles are in
dividually attached to branches,
Heiligmann said. Pines also gen
erally have longer needles and
their branches come off the main
stem at distinct intervals
called whorls versus emerging
all along the stem as single-nee
dle conifer branches do.
In Ohio, more than 90 percent
09, SUSQUEHANNA
09- PRINTING
of the Christmas trees marketed
are one of six species: Scotch
pirte, eastern white pine, blue
spruce, Douglas fir, Fraser fir
and Canaan fir.
‘Each of these species has
something unique to offer con
sumers, whether it’s the length of
the needles, the aroma or the
color of the tree,” Heiligmann
said.
Here is a brief description of
the characteristics of Ohio’s six
most popular Christmas tree spe
cies:
Scotch pine trees are native
to Europe and eastern Asia and
historically are the most popular
Christmas trees grown and sold
in Ohio and throughout the
country. Needles are 1 inch to 3
inches long and are somewhat
stiff and twisted. The tree is a
green to blue-green color, with
long branches capable of sup
porting many decorations and
heavy ornaments. Scotch pine is
also known to have better needle
retention than almost any other
Christmas tree species. It is com
monly sheared tightly to produce
dense foliage, although trees
sheered lighter with a more open
appearance can be found.
Eastern white pine, native
to eastern North America, is the
second most popular pine Christ
mas tree species. Its needles are 2
inches to 5 inches in length. The
soft, flexible needles are yellow
green to blue-green in color.
Eastern white pines have slender,
flexible branches capable of sup
porting a few, small decorations.
It has very good to excellent nee
dle retention and, like Scotch
pine, is most commonly sheared
fairly tightly to produce thick fo
liage.
Blue spruces are native to
high elevations in the mountains
of the western United States.
This species has become increas
ingly popular. It has 1-inch to
1.5-inch needles that are very
sharply pointed and stiff. The
colors of this tree vary from blue
green to silvery-white. Blue
spruce branches are relatively
stiff and bumpy and will support
many decorations and heavy or
naments. Needle retention is
good, though it requires consis
tent watering and will not toler-
ate dry tree stands. If the stand
goes dry, many needles will drop.
The tree’s sharp needles may
make it an inappropriate choice
for homes with small children.
Fraser fir trees are native to
high elevations of the southern
Appalachian Mountains. This is
a fragrant, dark green species
whose popularity has increased
dramatically in recent years.
These trees have half-inch to
1-inch flat needles. This species
has a strong natural symmetry
that requires less shearing and
allows for attractive trees over a
wide range of density. It also has
rather strong, smooth branches
to support decorations and deep
green, relatively soft foliage. It
does an excellent job of retaining
needles and produces the balsam
aroma commonly associated with
the Christmas holiday.
Canaan firs are native to
West Virginia and Virginia. It is
a relatively new Christmas tree
variety that is rapidly gaining ac
ceptance by both Christmas tree
growers and consumers. These
trees have three-fourth-inch to
1.5-inch needles. Like the Fraser
fir, the species has attractive
dark green, relatively soft foliage,
rather stiff branches to support
decorations and is available in a
wide range of densities. It has
good to very good needle reten
tion and also produces a balsam
aroma.
Douglas fir is native to the
mountains of the western United
States. This tree is popular
throughout the country. The nee
dles are flat and 1 inch to 1.5
inches in length. The trees range
from green to blue-green. When
the needles are crushed, the
Douglas fir gives off a mild, al
most sweet smell. It has soft, at
tractive foliage and very good
needle retention. This species has
a strong natural symmetry, re
quiring less shearing and allow
ing for attractive trees with a va
riety of densities.
For more information on
Christmas tree selection, care
and disposal, contact your local
office of Ohio State University
Extension or view the fact sheet
Selecting and Caring for Your
Cut Christmas Tree on Exten
sion’s Ohioline website at (http://
ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu).
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• Exterior handle for clean shake
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*D.S. Machine Shop
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2388 Old Leacock Rd., Gordonville, PA 17529
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Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 16, 2000-811
□happenings
4-H Veterinary
Science Course
4-H Veterinary Science
courses are being offered in Jan
uary-April to all youth ages
12-18-years-old by Penn State
Cooperative Extension, Bucks
County. The classes will be
taught by local veterinarians.
Students will receive hands-on
training in animal science includ
ing how to take an animal’s tem
perature, pulse, and respiration
rate, normal and abnormal be
havior, and general animal phys
iology in Vet Science I. A visit to
a vet’s office or farm may be in
cluded.
Vet Science I will meet for six
sessions and is offered in three
locations:
• Delaware Valley College,
Doylestown, Mondays 7 p.m.-8
p.m., Jan. 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26,
and March 5.
• 4-H Extension Office, Ne
shaminy Manor Center, Doyles
town, Wednesdays, 7 p.m.-8;30
p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, and
April 4,11.
• Plumsteadville Grange, Rt.
611 in Plumsteadville, Tuesdays
7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Jan. 16, 23, 30,
and Feb. 6,13,20.
Registration is required and
can be made by calling the Bucks
County Penn State Cooperative
Extension Office (215) 345-3283.
Registration deadline is Tuesday,
Jan. 2.
Cumberland County Wide
4-H Dairy Club
The last meeting of the Cum
berland County Wide 4-H Dairy
Club was Nov. 13 at the Second
Presbyterian Church in Carlisle.
Before the meeting started,
Mrs. Walton gave a short dem
onstration about procedures of
the meetings.
The club welcomed Clayton
and Robbie Weber and Chris
Nippenose Stove
& Chimney
Rt. 3, Box 367
Williamsport, PA 17701
717-745-3253
Hinton to the meeting.
Under old business, Aaron
Cornman reported on the Louis
ville Judging Team. The Penn
sylvania Juniors placed third,
and Aaron placed 16th individu
ally. Some club members exhibi
ted cattle in Louisville, and they
did really well.
There was a Christmas Tree
Committee report saying that K
mart didn’t have the names of
the children yet. The committee
will meet when the names are
available.
Mrs. Walton explained the
new 2001 project books. The club
decided the next meeting's pro
gram will be the gift exchange.
Three demonstrations were
given. Mark Hammond demon
strated his wrestling moves and
medals. Jen Zinn interviewed
Jeff Reasoner for her year re
quirements. Morgan Creek in
formed us about Pennsylvania's
symbols, like the state bird and
animal.
Comments from parents were
given, and the meeting was ad
journed.
4-H Youth Awards
Bucks County 4-H recognized
seven youth leaders recently by
awarding the Junior Cloverleaf
Award to outstanding 8- to
11-year-old members. The award
is for 4-H club leadership, partic
ipation, variety of 4-H experi
ences, and community service.
Receiving the award were Me
lissa Boess, Warrington, and Ju
liana Peluso, Hartsville, both
members of the 4-H Dairy and
Doylestown Clubs. Boess is the
daughter of Michael and Katey
Boess. Peluso is the daughter of
Frank and Mimi Peluso.
Natalie Crooke, Perkasie, and
Gabrielle Ochoco, Doylestown
are members of the Danboro 4-H
Club. Crooke is the daughter of
Jim and Gail Crooke.
Ochoco is the daughter
of Filmore and Linda
Ochoco.
Chrissy Dumire and
Corinne Jager are
members of both Hill
town 4-H Club and
Carrot Crunchers 4-H
Club. Dumire is the
daughter of Tom and
Cyndy Dumire. Jager
is the daughter of
Molly Jager.
Elizabeth Nilsen,
Coopersburg, is a
member of Spurs N
Burrs 4-H Horse and
Pony Club. She is the
daughter of James and
Betsy Nilsen.
For more informa
tion on 4-H in Bucks
County, call (215)