December 11, 2018
With the Maryland SoccerPlex
A weekly newsletter to keep you informed about EVERYTHING Turf at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
In the spirit of the holidays we will take this week’s Turf Talk to look at different types of Christmas trees!
Yes, there are more than 1!
Did you know there are 16 different types of Christmas-type trees?! The 16 are split among 5 Groupings: Fir trees, Pine trees, Spruce trees, Cypress trees, and Cedar trees! Within these groupings there are various types of each tree. All of these trees fall under the classification of Evergreen trees. Fir trees are one of the most common types of trees used in the holiday season. Fir trees are known for their strong fragrance, and strong branches making them ideal for decorating with heavy ornaments and lights! Fir trees have thick needles and a natural cone shape. There are 7 variations of the fir tree: Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir, Canaan Fir, Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Noble Fir, and Concolor (White) Fir. The Douglas Fir makes up nearly half of all Christmas trees grown throughout the United States! 
Pine and Spruce Trees
Pine trees are often used as Christmas trees; however, some Pine trees aren’t the best for holding decorations. Pine trees have thin needles and often have to be pruned into their Christmas tree shape as their branches grow slightly sporadically. Of the Pine trees there are White Pine, Scotch Pine, and Virginia Pine. Scotch Pine trees are more ideal than the White Pine or Virginia Pine for decorating as they have stronger branches. Pine trees tend to have less fragrance as well.

Spruce trees tend to grow in cooler climates and are among the more popular in Christmas trees. There are Blue Spruces, White Spruces, and Norway Spruces. Blue Spruces do in fact have the blue tint to the needles of the tree, and the branches grow upwards to produce the perfect Christmas tree shape. The Norway Spruce is more commonly native in Europe and when the needles fall off of the Norway Spruce, they seldom grow back making it vital to take proper care of this tree as to not let the needles come off!
Cypress and Cedar Trees
These last two types of trees are not commonly used at Christmas time in people’s homes, however they can be used as a unique type of Christmas tree. Cypress trees grow in a tall narrow shape and are most commonly used as shrubbery or as privacy landscaping. Among the Cypress trees are the Arizona Cypress and the Leyland Cypress. The Leyland Cypress’ needle are unique because when they grow they tend to look feather-like. Cedar trees are more commonly used as landscape as they tend to be larger in size, however their strong fragrance makes them a viable option for a unique Christmas tree option! The Red Cedar is the most common cedar and is also commonly used as a Christmas tree in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

As you can see there are many options to consider when purchasing a tree! No matter what tree you chose it’s who you share it with that matters most!

Here at the Maryland SoccerPlex we want to wish you and your family the happiest of holiday seasons and we will be back in 2019 with more Turf Talk!
Next Week
Tune back in January 8, 2019 for the First Edition of 2019!

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