Guide to living Christmas trees
Have you ever considered buying a Christmas tree that could then become part of the landscape as a shade tree or decorative plant? If you pick the right species, it is relatively easy to do..
I speak with experience because I have both a Deodora cedar and Arizona cypress that are more than 20 feet tall serving as specimen trees in the front yard. Both started out as living Christmas trees more than 10 years ago.
The Deodora cedar is a desirable choice because it grows in a conical shape with attractive bluish needles that resemble a Colorado spruce. At one point I would have predicted that in San Antonio, Deodora cedars would be susceptible to freeze damage at the growing point at the tip of the tree, but that seems less likely now with climate change.
Even if the growing point freezes back, the remaining tree below is an attractive addition to a San Antonio landscape.
Arizona cypress is another excellent choice. It has a classic, conical shape and bluish evergreen foliage. Arizona cypress is especially well adapted for our alkaline soil and erratic rainfall. It is a worthy addition to a xeriscape landscape.
Other good options include Aleppo and Italian stone pines. They are available as sheared specimens at area nurseries.
Aleppo pine grows to 40 feet tall with a classic, narrow up
right pine shape. Italian stone pine grows to 35 feet tall. It has a wider, more bulbous crown than the Aleppo pine. It does especially well when planted in caliche or other rocky soil.
Leyland cypress and blue point juniper are good choices for small landscape trees. Avoid the acid-loving pines such as Virginia and loblolly pine. Afghan (Eldarica) pine is adapted to alkaline soils but is susceptible to a fungal dieback in our area. It is another species to avoid.
As desirable as getting double value for your Christmas tree is, there are some practical issues to consider.
A live holiday tree is very heavy, so plan your moves ahead of purchasing the tree. Have the two-wheeled cart ready and your route to its site planned out.
The selection at nurseries is best in November and early December, but the tree should only be inside the house for two weeks. If you buy it early, place it outside in morning sun until you are ready to move it inside.
Keep the tree well-watered. Add water when the soil dries to 1 inch. Use a tray under the
container so that enough water can be added to reach and leave the drain holes. In the house,
avoid locations in front of heat registers or air conditioning vents.
In the landscape, select a final planting site in full sun. Dig the hole to the depth of the root ball and two or three times as wide. Refill the hole with the native soil. Root starters and other soil additives are unnecessary.
Place 3 to 4 inches of mulch over the root system and water when the soil under the mulch dries to 1 inch. Fertilize with a cup of slow-release lawn fertilizer (19-5-9) every February. Spread it over the entire root system and beyond the root system by 1 foot.