Discover the different types of natural Christmas firs

When Christmas comes, one of the most typical Catalan traditions is to have a natural Christmas tree at home! Decorated with bright and colorful balls, lights and streamers, natural Christmas trees (avets de Nadal naturals) are the star decoration products in Christmas homes. And where else would we put the Tió de Nadal or the gifts that father Christmas brings?

In Catalonia the tradition of decorating the home with a Christmas tree goes back years. Nowadays, you can find fairs, such as the Espinelves fir tree fair, which promote the product so typical of these dates. But what is the difference between a natural Christmas fir tree and an artificial one? What types of Christmas fir trees are the best? Let’s find out.

Natural or artificial Christmas fir trees?

Natural Christmas fir trees are a more ecological and sustainable bet than artificial Christmas trees. Natural Christmas fir trees, such as denadal.cat, are planted in private plantations in Sant Hilari Sacalm, so they do not damage the forest when they are cut for Christmas decorations. For each tree that is cut down, a new one is planted.

For all the years that natural Christmas trees have been grown, sometimes up to 10 years, these fir trees have been beneficial to the environment, incorporating CO₂ and releasing oxygen.

Artificial Christmas trees, on the other hand, are made of PVC plastic or similar, non-biodegradable and environmentally unfriendly materials.

Why to buy natural Christmas trees?

In short, buying natural Christmas trees offers the following benefits over artificial trees:

• Ecological and sustainable trees
• Cultivated for 10 years in private plantations
• For each tree that is cut, a new one is planted.
• It is a biodegradable product
• Environmentally friendly

What types of natural Christmas fir trees are most commonly purchased?

Deciding which natural Christmas fir tree to buy can be difficult when we do not know the different species of trees usually purchased during Christmas. Although there are several types, the natural Christmas firs most commonly grown in private homes and purchased in Catalonia are the Picea Excelsa natural Christmas trees and the Abies nordmanniana Christmas firs.

Both are ideal to buy for the Christmas decoration of your home, yet they have different shapes, sizes and prices, which also vary depending on the height and turret.

Christmas fir Abies nordmanniana

The Normandy fir, also known as Abies nordmanniana or Caucasian fir, is native to the mountains west and east of the Black Sea, in Turkey, Georgia, the Caucasus of Russia, the northern part of Armenia, the northwestern part of Azerbaijan.

This Christmas tree, which occurs at altitudes between 900 to 2,200 m in mountain areas, can be found cultivated in many nursery plantations in Catalonia. As it could be our Christmas firs that are cultivated in plantations of individuals in Sant Hilari Sacalm, the Guilleries.

This tree, which is characterized by its fresh, bright and natural green leaves, can reach heights of up to 60 or 80 meters, although it is common for the tallest ones to reach up to 5m.

How to take care of natural Christmas fir trees Abies nordmanniana

At denadal.cat you can find for sale natural Christmas fir trees Abies nordmanniana coming from private plantations in Sant Hilari Sacalm, in Catalonia. The fir is cut the same day or a few days before being shipped so that when it arrives at your home it remains natural and fresh. For each tree that is cut, another one is planted.

In addition, all products include a turret to keep the tree stable during shipment, which helps the root stay in the turret and helps the natural, shiny leaves last longer throughout the Christmas season. This natural Christmas tree stands up well to the lack of light, but if you want to plant it in a garden, that’s possible too!

Christmas fir Picea excelsa

The Christmas fir Picea excelsa, also known as Picea Abies, Norway spruce or European spruce, is a green, fresh and natural Christmas tree widely purchased also for Christmas decoration.

Marketed mainly in Northern Europe, this Christmas fir is a tree species of the Picea genus native to Europe. With a green, fresh and slightly needle-like shape, these trees can reach up to 50m in the forests, but it is common to buy it around 1,50m for Christmas fir.

How to keep fresh and natural Christmas firs Spruce?

It is recommended not to place the natural Christmas firs next to a radiator, a stove or similar, although it is fine if it gets sunlight. It is also advisable to water it with a little water every 2 or 3 days to keep it looking cool, shiny and natural throughout the holidays.