{"id":42227,"date":"2024-11-21T11:56:53","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T10:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/a8a0eec8-88e1-4438-b544-0f6cc81c3abf"},"modified":"2024-11-21T13:31:20","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T12:31:20","slug":"looking-for-something-different-this-christmas-weve-found-6-great-alternatives-to-the-usual-christmas-tree","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/looking-for-something-different-this-christmas-weve-found-6-great-alternatives-to-the-usual-christmas-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for something different this Christmas? We’ve found 6 great alternatives to the usual Christmas tree"},"content":{"rendered":"

Looking for an alternative to a cut Christmas tree? Here are some attractive conifers that you can grow outdoors in pots all year round, then bring indoors for the festive season <\/p>

By Veronica Peerless\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 21 November 2024 at 10:56 AM<\/p>

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Christmas<\/a> isn’t complete without a real Christmas tree<\/a> \u2013 but which type to go for? Many of us are looking for more greener, more eco-friendly Christmas tree ideas, and a pot-grown Christmas tree (or a rented tree) is a sustainable option.<\/p>

Real or fake? What’s the most sustainable Christmas tree to buy?<\/a><\/p>

A pot-grown tree has been nurtured for its whole life in its pot<\/a>, and will last for many years \u2013 once the festive season is over, you can enjoy your tree outside all year before bringing it indoors every Christmas. (Pot grown trees should not be confused with “potted” trees, which have been cut and then put in a pot, and will not last beyond the festive season.)<\/p>

You don’t need to settle for the usual Norway spruce or Nordmann Fir. We asked Helen Tate, who runs specialist conifer nursery Lime Cross Nursery with her sister Vicky, to recommend unusual and attractive evergreen conifers that aren’t just for Christmas but will look good in your garden all year round. Her six top suggestions are below.<\/p>

For other ideas on decorating with plants, check out our guide to the very best indoor Christmas plants to buy this year<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>

6 alternatives to a Christmas tree<\/h2>

Spanish firAbies pinsapo<\/em> ‘Horstmann’<\/h3>

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Helen says:<\/strong> “This adorable and compact Spanish Fir has the quirkiest shaped branches. It will happily live in a pot, as it is slow growing. It will need repotting in three to five years into a bigger pot. Give it a regular foliar feed.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 60cm.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, well-drained soil; full sun.Habit:<\/strong> Spreading and rounded, becoming pyramidal with age.Foliage:<\/strong> Vivid blue needles are arranged radially around the branchlets.Perfect for:<\/strong> Growing in a pot or a rock garden.<\/p>

Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica<\/em> ‘Elegans Compacta’<\/h3>
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Cryptomeria japonica \u2018Elegans Compacta\u2019 <\/figcaption> <\/figure>

Helen says: “<\/strong>This is a really affordable option. The gorgeous colours will look stunning with fairy lights<\/a>.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 2.5m.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, well-drained soil; full sun. Avoid exposed sites.Habit:<\/strong> Bushy.Foliage:<\/strong> The springy, long and soft foliage turns purple in summer.Perfect for:<\/strong> Growing anywhere in the garden or in a pot.<\/p>

Alberta spruce Picea glauca<\/em> var. albertiana<\/em> ‘Conica’<\/h3>
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Helen says:<\/strong> “Picea glauca<\/em> var. albertiana<\/em> ‘Conica’ grows into a perfect cone, making it an excellent tabletop<\/a> Christmas tree alternative.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 2.5m.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, moist well-drained soil; full sun.Habit:<\/strong> A perfect cone.Foliage:<\/strong> Light green young needles, later turning blue-green.Perfect for:<\/strong> Growing in a pot or mixing with heathers in the garden.<\/p>

Himalayan white pine Pinus wallichiana<\/em> \u2018Vicky\u2019<\/h3>
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Helen says:<\/strong> “Pinus wallichiana<\/em> \u2018Vicky\u2019 was discovered here at Lime Cross Nursery by founder Jonathan Tate and named after his daughter (and my sister) Vicky. The whorls of needles are soft and shaggy and are said to have reminded Jonathan of his baby daughter’s striking ginger mohawk.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 8m.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, well-drained soil; full sun.Habit:<\/strong> Witch’s broom.Foliage:<\/strong> Lime-green with sunset-yellow hues. Deciduous.Perfect for:<\/strong> A garden border or growing in a pot.<\/p>

Bosnian pine Pinus heldreichii<\/em> ‘Schneverdingen’<\/h3>
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Helen says:<\/strong> “Pinus heldreichii<\/em> ‘Schneverdingen’ is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen tree with a distinctive and refined form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 6m.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, well-drained soil; full sun.Habit:<\/strong> Pyramid.Foliage:<\/strong> Dark green with a fine texture.Perfect for:<\/strong> Around the garden or growing in a pot.<\/p>

Willow podocarp Podocarpus salignus<\/em><\/h3>
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Helen says:<\/strong> “We think that Podocarpus<\/a><\/em> make a really cool alternative Christmas tree. Its lush, striking foliage<\/a> works well with fairy lights.”<\/p>

Ultimate height:<\/strong> 8m.Conditions:<\/strong> Any fertile, well-drained soil; full sun.Habit:<\/strong> Spreading and rounded, becoming pyramidal with age.Foliage:<\/strong> The new, willow-like foliage is lime green, becoming darker green with age.Perfect for:<\/strong> In a mixed border or pot.<\/p>

Bringing a tree indoors for Christmas: top tips<\/h2>