The Picea glauca Christmas Star: Your Sustainable Christmas Tree
Plant Care GuidesOne of the most important decisions around the Christmas festive season is choosing what kind of Christmas tree to have in your home. Most people only think of two choices at Christmas time, the artificial variety or a ‘cut’ real tree. Now don’t get me wrong the cut versions have all the benefits of aroma and touch, but of course they only have a small window in which to look good and then they start to drop pines and die off. So, this festive season we ask you, have you considered a living Christmas tree? One in a pot with soil, that will grow for years to come! Have you thought about a living Christmas tree that stay with you long after Christmas?
We at Everything about Garden have the perfect living Christmas tree for your festive season! Picea glauca these trees are grown in Australia and have been acclimatised to the Australian weather. It would make the best Christmas gift for a sustainable Christmas. Purchasing a living Christmas tree this holiday season is a sustainable choice as all trees play a role in photosynthesis and oxygen production.
It is a beautiful compact conical spruce, and a variation of the traditional White Spruce found in Europe and America. The Christmas Star grows to 1.3m high x 80cm wide in the first 10 years. Once mature they are quite stiff with strong needles that are nicely spaced, ideal for ornaments and baubles. Like any living thing, real Christmas trees need a lot of love and tender care to keep them healthy and happy.
Living Christmas tree care
Picea glauca is an excellent long lasting Christmas tree with proper care and attention, it will grow and last for years to come. When you first purchase your tree, the tree will need a few days to adjust to its new home. Don’t water it straight away, place it in a spot with in-direct light and after a few days check the soil, if it’s feeling dry give it a small drink.
Throughout the Christmas season you’ll need to water it a couple of times a week. Spruce varieties are generally quite hardy, but the extreme temperatures and sunlight of a Sydney summer will do more harm than good, so don’t place your tree in full sun. Real Christmas trees can survive indoors for between seven and ten days, so choose your window where you’d like to keep them indoors wisely.
Christmas tree Decorations
Once indoors the tree can be decorated with lights and ornaments, be sure not to overload the branches as they may snap. Don’t leave the fairy lights on for long periods as the heat from the lights can dry out the needles. Eco friendly Christmas decorations would make lovely addition to your living Christmas tree.
How to care for your Christmas tree after Christmas
After Christmas, place your tree outside in a shady spot and gradually reintroduce to filtered sun location. Unlike full size Christmas trees that are thrown away after the Christmas period a living tree can be re-potted or even planted in the garden and enjoyed for years to come. When you repot your tree, ensure you use a high quality well-draining mix. Choose a pot that has drainage holes at the base so any excess water can run out and prevent root rot.
In the wild, Spruce trees survive well in full sun conditions, we don’t recommend this for your Christmas Star as the harsh Australian sun can scorch the needles of the tree. It is best to keep your tree in a partial shade position. These trees can be fickle with how much water they require, check the soil regularly, the top few centimetres of the soil should dry between each water. They can benefit from a good soaking, over everyday watering, they do after all survive in harsh winter conditions of America and Europe.
Thanks to our simple guide and hot tips, your living Christmas tree can have a life in your garden after Christmas and be a beautiful focal point in the garden. Sounds easy enough? Why not take a look at our Picea glauca trees this Christmas.
Thanks to our simple guide and hot tips, your living Christmas tree can have a life in your garden after Christmas and be a beautiful focal point in the garden. Sounds easy enough? Why not take a look at our Picea glauca trees this Christmas.