The Christmas Tree Lot Specimen Guide

It's that time of year when we all bundle up our families and make the annual pilgrimage to our local terrain stores to choose the perfect Christmas tree. It's a beloved holiday tradition for so many of us, and we're helping kick things off here with a festive guide to our most popular Christmas tree varieties.

Noble Fir: Native to northern California and the Pacific Northwest, the noble fir offers a remarkable, ornamental form that makes the perfect Christmas tree. They feature dark green needles with excellent retention that extend from stiff, strong branches. Perfect for displaying an abundance of ornaments.

Silver Tip Fir: Brighten the holiday home with a natural shimmer that radiates from the eponymous silver-gray tips of this fir’s branches. The remarkable color pairs with a symmetrical and open growth pattern for a tree like no other! Beautiful as a standalone statement or fully decked in ornaments and lights.

Blue Spruce: The official state tree of both Colorado and Utah, this evergreen is most notable for its bluish-gray coloration. Blue spruces have a pyramidal shape, complete with a cone-like crown and tiered branches covered in strong needles. This holiday staple beautifully pairs with its unique, blue hue with a traditional evergreen fragrance.

Douglas Fir: Native to coastal areas in the Pacific Northwest, the Douglas fir is pyramidal in shape, with pendulous branches and flat, dark green needles. Long-lasting and sweetly fragrant, this evergreen will evoke nostalgic Christmas memories.

Fraser Fir: An iconic evergreen for Christmas, the Fraser fir is native to high elevations in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Strong, upward-growing branches and a conical shape makes it ideal for displaying heirloom ornaments, while great needle retention and a fresh fragrance makes it a welcome addition to the holiday home. This year’s Frasers are extra special with a more wild, natural feel.

Natural Noble Fir: Found only at terrain, the natural noble fir is our signature Christmas tree. Native to Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, the noble fir is remarkable thanks to its wild, open growth shape. Dark green needles with excellent retention extend from stiff, strong branches for displaying an abundance of ornaments. Our natural noble firs are sustainably wild-harvested from the Oregon forest.

Serbian Spruce: New to us for 2019, this narrow tree has a distinct pyramidal shape with thin arching branches. Each branch of this slender tree is adorned with glossy, flat dark green needles featuring streaks of white and distinct purple cones. Originally native to the mountains of Northern Europe, this adaptable species has become a notable drought-tolerant tree in the Midwest region of the United States. These trees were harvested especially for terrain in upstate Pennsylvania.

And don't forget! We’ve got festive, fun events happening through December at our stores—be sure to check out our full schedule of events and mark your calendars!