Leyland cypress:

The Leyland cypress resembles red cedars but is lighter green. Those in the field are 7-12 feet tall. They have soft branches and are easy to handle. They are durable, staying green and holding their needles well into January. Because of their soft branches, they will not hold heavy ornaments at the tip. Otherwise, they are the best all round tree we grow.

Fraser fir:

As you may know, Fraser firs will not grow at our altitude. They do best at elevations over 4000 feet and our farm is less than 1000 feet. Since many people prefer this kind of tree, we cut Fraser firs once a week on a farm in North Carolina and bring them to our farm.

Trees still green
in April

Frasers are considered the "Cadillac of Christmas trees." They have the best aroma, stay fresh longest, have a dark green color and a combination of soft needles and stiff branches which is easy on the hands and supports heavy ornaments to the tips. We would grow Fraser firs on the farm if we could but we can't. The next best thing is to provide the freshest Fraser firs possible in the Knoxville, TN area. Our trees will still be green in March. As an example, 4 trees cut on December 6th, 2010 that did not sell are shown as they looked on April 11, 2011.

White pine:

We have white pines 6-10 feet tall. Branches are not stiff enough to hold heavy ornaments near the tips. On the other hand, the soft twigs and needles of this species are not prickly to the hands while decorating. Some of our white pines have developed brown needles in spots, although some still look excellent.

Virginia pine:

We have a few Virginia pines available this year in the 8-11 foot range. This species has light green needles that are short and stiff but not nearly as prickly as Norway spruce. The branches are not as stiff as those of Fraser firs, but still hold heavy ornaments almost to the tips. An extra nice thing about Virginia pines is that the bases of the trees are narrow. An 8 foot tall tree may have a base that is only 3-4 inches in diameter. If you have ever spent 20 minutes trying to get an 8 inch diameter tree base into the 6 inch ring of a tree stand, you know one benefit of getting a Virginia pine. One important note; these Virginia pines will not fit through our balers. Please bring a truck or a trailer to get them home.

Norway spruce:

These are beautiful trees with short needles and are very dark in color. They have stiff branches which support heavy ornaments. If you intend to get a Norway, please wait until December to cut it. These are great trees and will hold needles for six weeks or more if kept watered, but they start dropping needles in about 2 weeks if you let the water bowl dry even once. Also note that we have a very limited number of Norway’s available this year.

Arizona cypress:

Our Arizona cypress will not be available until 2012, but they are going to be a big hit!!! They look like a silver/grey cedar tree, almost the color of a Colorado blue spruce. Their needles are soft and easy to handle.