Traditional

If you’re a stickler for tradition the Norway Spruce is for you! Considered the oldest traditional Christmas tree, it is bushy and well-shaped with short, light green needles and has a lovely pine fragrance. However, it must be watered regularly to keep needledrop to a minimum and has sharper needles than our Needlefast® trees.

For many years the Norway Spruce was the most popular Christmas tree variety in the UK due to the fact it grew locally and naturally produced the classic Christmas tree shape. Still grown throughout Northern Europe, it is a fast-growing species and tolerates most soils but does require good drainage. Every Christmas, Oslo, the capital of Norway, provides the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree in London with the country’s name-sake spruce.

Guaranteed to be a great centrepiece to any Christmas, the Blue Spruce is best known for its beautiful colour which varies from silvery-green to a stunning steel blue. Blue Spruce is pretty and symmetrical and has dense branches. It holds its needles slightly better than the Norway, if watered regularly, but you may need to wear gloves when handling as the needles can be sharper than other species.   

Although native to the Rocky Mountains, USA, the Blue Spruce has been widely introduced elsewhere and is used as an ornamental tree far beyond its origin. This species has an excellent natural shape and requires little shearing, partially leading to its popularity of being used as a Christmas tree.

A close relative of the Norway Spruce, the Serbian Spruce has dense branches and a lovely narrow shape so is ideally suited to smaller spaces. Its charming two-tone green and blue foliage give it a decorative edge meaning it looks lovely with few decorations; try it with just a string of white fairy lights.

Commonly known as Omorika, this spruce is originally from Serbia and Eastern Bosnia and naturally grows in colder climates than its close cousin the Norway Spruce. It is often grown in areas affected by late frosts as it is less likely to get damaged than other species. Though slow growing, Omorika is mainly used as an ornamental tree in large gardens and to a smaller extent for Christmas trees, timber and paper production.

A beautiful tinsel-like tree with a non-traditional shape, the Lodgepole has a wonderful pine scent. Although not the classic Christmas tree shape, Lodgepole is perfect if you appreciate a minimalist style of decoration. It probably has the best needle retention of all varieties and with its striking long, bright green needles this tree deserves to be more widely recognised.

Common in the coastal areas of Western North America, Lodgepole has been popular in some regions of the UK for many years. The species name “contorta” is because of the twisted (contorted) and bent pine trees found at coastal areas. When pruned and sheared into shape, this tree is excellent for Christmas.