THE IDEAL TREE IS A MATTER OF TASTE — AND SMELL

How to pick the perfect pine, fir or spruce

Ontarians’ appreciation for Christmas tree species has evolved over the years, with consumers now demanding a lush, aromatic piece of greenery pruned to perfection.

Fraser fir

Fraser firs are now the most popular tree of the roughly 70,000 Christmas conifers at Taylor Tree Farms in Stouffville, Ont. They’re the best for needle retention as well as fragrance, says owner John Klecker.

Colour: Green on the top side of the branches, shaded blue on the underside. Needles: Great retention and firmness.

Fragrance: Very aromatic.

Balsam fir

A similar alternative to Frasers, and with needles that can handle the kids’ hefty classroom-made decorations. “Generally I’d say that the balsam fir is the most fragrant, probably followed by spruce,” says Brian Horton, owner of the 54-year-old Horton Tree Farms. Ontario farmers brought in Balsam seedlings from the Maritimes in the late 20th century as “people’s tastes changed to prefer that kind of tree.” Colour: Deep green. Needles: Excellent retention, good firmness.

Fragrance: Very aromatic.

Scotch pine

“That’s all we knew in the ’70s,” says Horton. Once the floral essence of Christmas, the Scotch pine — “which was the No. 1 Christmas tree species until 20, 25 years ago” — is now “dead last,” Klecker notes. Its relatively sparse branches and weak needles are partly to blame. Colour: Light green to golden-green. Needles: Wiry, good retention.

Fragrance: Very aromatic.

White pine

The White pine sports a straight trunk and long needles that sprout into a graceful evergreen. “A lot of people like the smell of softwoods. You get that nice resiny-type smell that comes out of the pines, in particular,” says Matthew Leitch, an associate professor of natural resources management at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. The long, soft needles are well-suited to a light decorating style, he adds. Colour: Grey-green. Needles: Long and soft; good retention.

Fragrance: Medium intensity.

Blue spruce

The “original tannenbaum,” various spruce species swept into British homes in the 1840s, a custom that began in Germany more than 500 years ago. They were popularized by Queen Victoria and her German husband, Prince Albert, after an illustration of the royal couple and their children standing in front of a glowing tree — spindly and sparse by today’s standards — appeared in a local news publication. Colour: Bluish or deep green. Needles: Poor retention.

Fragrance: High intensity.

White spruce

With long, slender branches, the white spruce forms a natural pyramid, but “can be unpredictable — their needles might start falling after two weeks,” says Horton. Colour: Grey-green and deep green. Needles: Poor retention; short, sharp needles.

Fragrance: Very aromatic.