Where to Find the Perfect Christmas Tree in Rhode Island
No matter your hometown, we have a nearby farm you can support this holiday season. Plus: Growers' tips for keeping your tree fresh.
Tree-Mendous Options
“When selecting your tree, the biggest pointer I can give is to please measure where it will be going in your home. If your ceilings are eight feet, you can’t fit a ten-foot tree. All trees look smaller when they are outside in the field,” says Riverside Christmas Tree Farm’s Durning. “As far as choosing your perfect tree, every tree is perfect for someone.” That being said, we know some of you still have your preferences. See below for our Christmas tree superlatives.
Most Fragrant: Balsam fir
Prettiest Hue: Blue spruce (FYI: you’ll find one on the south lawn of the White House each Christmas)
Best Shape and Fullness: Douglas fir
Least Likely to Leave a Mess: Scotch pine
Most Likely to Support Your Ornaments: Fraser fir
Also check out: In operation for more than 100 years, Butterfly Farm has morphed from a dairy farm to a fully functional working farm covering many aspects of agriculture, including vegetable, flower, animal and Christmas tree production. The farm has been growing Christmas trees for more than thirty years. “We use sustainable practices combining agricultural practices grazing our production animals throughout our Christmas tree fields,” says owner Daniel Flynn. “This year we have Douglas fir, balsam fir and concolor fir available.” Pre-tagging is on now through the weekend before Thanksgiving (or when all inventory has been tagged), on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Christmas tree pickup begins Thanksgiving weekend, Friday through Sunday. Fresh cut trees and wreaths are also available. 837-3300, 679 Great Rd., Lincoln, butterflyfarmri.com
Cut Short
If you believe a Christmas tree shouldn’t go up until well into December, you may want to think again. “There is a Christmas tree shortage and there will be one for several years due to the many wildfires in the Midwest,” says Riverside Christmas Tree Farm’s Jane Durning. “Many of the farms that grow the stock for Christmas tree farms to buy are from the Midwest and they are suffering from fire loss. Also, many of the larger growers are sending their stock out to reforest those locations ravished by the fires. It is getting hard for us small Christmas tree farms to find the replacement stock for our farms. It takes eight to twenty-five years for a baby tree to grow to saleable height. So, this is not a quick turnaround commodity. When we plant a baby tree, we hope that it survives to saleable size.” Just another reason to consider tagging your trees or picking up your pre-cut tree early this season.
Spruce Up Your Species Knowledge
What’s the difference between a fir, spruce or pine? According to Fine Gardening, it’s all in the needles. To tell the difference, take a close look at the branches: If their needles grow in bunches of two, three or five, you’ve got a pine tree on your hands. If the needles poke out individually, however, pluck one or two off and roll them between your fingers. A fir will produce flat needles while a spruce’s needles will have four sides, making them easier to roll.
