Super Sources For Eco- Friendly Christmas Trees

A symbol of life after winter, the greenest tree is real, fresh, local and even organic.

Last year in an effort to simplify my life, I looked into buying an artificial Christmas tree, preferably one that came predecorated and opened and shut like an umbrella: I could pop it up before Christmas, then collapse and store it till next year. Then I discovered that the whole point of a Christmas tree is to bring evergreen trees or branches indoors as reminder that winter will eventually end and the world will turn green again.

Real Christmas trees are green in more than colour as they are a renewable crop and often grown on land unsuitable for growing much else. And like any crop, there are different shades of green.

3 Ways To Get A Real Green Christmas Tree

Go local: As with any plant, the freshest trees are those grown closest to home. Many Christmas tree farms allow you to choose your tree from the field, so it’s not only fresh but, unliked bundled trees, you can see what it looks like. Some growers will cut one for you, while at other farms you do it yourself. Some also bag the trees after cutting for easier transport. Prices vary, e.g., $25 for a small tree, $8 a foot for a Noble fir, $45 for any tree in the field, etc. This useful website listing every u-pick Christmas tree farm in Canada advises calling ahead to check on hours, prices and what’s available: www.pickyourownchristmastree.org.

Go live: A potted tree can be replanted outside after Christmas. It will be heavy, however, and can only be kept inside for three weeks, after which it will go into shock if moved out into the cold. Many u-pick tree farms also have “living trees” to dig up, and Evergrow Christmas Trees in Burnaby, started in January 2009 by two UBC forestry graduates, specializes in providing living trees. Prices, including delivery, removal and caring for the trees during the off-season, range from $125 for a golden-tipped Nordmann to $200 for a seven-foot-plus Fraser fir. Once trees are too big to move, they are planted in a forever home through Evergreen BC,  an organization that restores natural habitats. For more information, visit evergrowchristmastrees.ca.

Go organic: The Bees Knees Christmas Trees in Chilliwack grows organic trees, for sale this year for the first time ever. Four-to-12-foot cut trees start at $35 for a Douglas fir and $45 for a grand fir. To further Bees Knees’ goal of a zero waste Christmas, clippings or trees that don’t make the grade become wreaths, bows and decorations are reusable, and plantable Christmas cards will sprout wildflowers in the spring. Bees Knees will be at the Vancouver Farmers Holiday Market on December 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Croation Cultural Centre, Commercial Drive and 16th Avenue in Vancouver. The Bees Knees retail location is at 41909 Yarrow Central Road and No. 3 Rd. in Yarrow just west of Chilliwack. For more information, call 604-220-9927 or visit www.thebeeskneeschristmastrees.ca.

Photo: Clinton Hussey; Styling: Brendan Power