Selection and Care of Living Holiday Trees
By Melinda Myers

[November 27, 2024]   Dress up a potted dwarf spruce, Norfolk Island pine, lemon cypress or topiary Rosemary or lavender plant for the holidays and enjoy its beauty all year. Add a bit of garland and a few small ornaments for a festive effect.

Norfolk Island pines have long been decked out and displayed for the holidays. Smaller specimens can be placed on a tabletop, and larger ones can be used as indoor floor plants when space allows. Grow Norfolk Island pines in a cool well-lit location free of hot and cold drafts. Occasionally, turn plants growing in front of windows to ensure even growth.

Avoid low humidity and dry soil, often resulting in dry brown needles and branches. Use a gravel tray to reduce your workload and increase your growing success. Place pebbles in the plant saucer and set the container on the pebbles so it rests above any excess water that collects in the saucer. Water thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil slightly moist. The excess water that collects in the saucer increases humidity around the plant.

Tabletop lemon cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest Wilma’) trees have filled the benches at garden centers and florists for the past few holiday seasons. Their fragrant chartreuse needles and upright conical shape make them a cheery addition to your winter décor. Grow them in a brightly lit location near a draft-free window and water thoroughly when the top few inches are dry to the touch. Those who garden in zones seven to ten can move them into their landscape or add them to their outdoor containers after the danger of frost has passed. This dwarf variety can eventually reach six feet tall and three to four feet wide.

Enjoy the beauty, fragrance, and flavor of a topiary Rosemary tree. Grow it in a brightly lit location and water thoroughly when the top few inches of soil begin to dry. Regularly trim the branches to maintain the upright tree shape. Use clippings to season your favorite holiday dishes.

Consider growing a tree-shaped lavender plant this holiday season for its attractive foliage and calming fragrance. Grow your lavender in a south-facing or other sunny window. Find a cool spot in your home away from hot and cold air drafts. The cooler air helps increase your indoor growing success. Water it thoroughly when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Pour off any excess water that collects in the saucer.

If you want a tree that can be moved outdoors into the landscape or a container in hardiness zones two to six, consider growing a tabletop dwarf Alberta spruce tree (Picea glauca ‘Conica’). Grow it in a very cool bright location indoors. Water thoroughly as needed pouring off any excess water that collects in the saucer.

If the buds break and new growth appears, wait until the danger of frost has passed to move it outdoors. Just change out the seasonal decorations and enjoy it on Valentine’s Day, Easter, and any spring holiday celebrations. Grow it outside in a sunny location protected from winter wind and sun to prevent the needles from drying. Watch for spider mites which are a common pest on this landscape plant.

These plants also make great gifts for the holidays and for the host or hostess. You and your gift recipients will enjoy the beauty of these plants throughout the holidays and beyond.

Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Myers’ website is www.MelindaMyers.com.
 

[Photo courtesy of MelindaMyers.com]