CHOOSING
Pick a fir
Nordmann, Fraser and Korean firs hold their needles well. Norway spruce smells lovely but drops quickly.
Compare the speciesA REAL TREE GUIDE
A real tree,
done right.
Pick one that keeps its needles. Keep it drinking. Give it a good ending.
FRESH CUT then water
3.5 kg vs 16 kg Chipped or burnt vs landfill
- Choose a fir
- Cut and water
- Keep it cool
- Chip it, don’t bin it
A real Christmas tree can last about four weeks indoors and, if it is chipped rather than binned, carries a fraction of an artificial tree’s carbon. Here is what horticulturists and tree researchers say, in plain English.
Plain English, with the sources linked.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Choose well, water daily.
Most needle drop comes down to the species,
a dry stand and a warm room.
CARE
Fresh cut, full stand
Saw 2.5 cm off the base, stand it in water and top up every day. A cut tree can drink litres a day at first.
Four care steps
AFTERWARDS
A good ending
Chipped or composted, a real tree comes to about 3.5 kg of CO₂. Landfill more than quadruples that.
Run the January checkTHE JANUARY CHECK
Where does your
tree end up?
Pick what happens to your tree after Christmas. The figures are Carbon Trust estimates for a two-metre tree, as reported by UK councils and the British Christmas Tree Growers Association.
They are rounded estimates for a typical tree, not a measurement of yours.
TREE CARE
Four steps
to a tree that lasts.
Choose a fir, close to home
Nordmann, Fraser or Korean fir for needle hold. The RHS also suggests a locally or UK-grown tree.
Saw a fresh base
Take 2.5 cm (1 inch) off the trunk when you get home, so the tree can drink again, and use a stand with a water well.
Use a big stand and top up daily
Illinois Extension suggests a stand that holds a gallon (about 3.8 litres). Check it every day: a stand that runs dry can stop the tree drinking.
Keep it cool, then recycle it
Stand it away from fires and radiators, which dry it out. In January, use your council’s collection or garden waste bin, or shred it for mulch.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
The ending matters
more than the tree.
The same real tree can have a small footprint
or a large one, depending on January.
3.5 kg vs 16 kg
Chipped or burnt vs landfill
A real tree sent to landfill carries the larger figure. Chipping it for mulch, composting it or burning it keeps its footprint at about a fifth of that, by the Carbon Trust’s estimate.
REAL TREE · AFTER USE
10+ years
Years of use to compare well
A two-metre artificial tree starts at about 40 kg of carbon dioxide, around two thirds of it from its plastic. It needs to be kept and used for about a decade to compare with a real tree disposed of well.
ARTIFICIAL TREE · REUSE
Neither choice is automatically the green one. A real tree that is chipped, or an artificial tree kept for many years, both come out well; an artificial tree bought new and soon thrown away does not.
TREE FACTS
Five things worth
knowing.
Species decides the needles
The RHS lists Nordmann fir as very slow to drop its needles and Korean fir as excellent, while the traditional Norway spruce is quick to drop them.
A cut tree drinks a lot
NC State Extension says cut trees use about a quart (just under a litre) of water a day for each inch of trunk diameter. A 6 ft Fraser fir can use about four quarts a day for the first five to seven days.
Plain water is best
Tree preservatives and additives offer little benefit and can sometimes do harm, including heavier needle loss, according to NC State Extension. Plain water is what it recommends.
Four weeks is realistic
With a fresh cut and daily topping up, the RHS expects a cut tree to last about four weeks indoors. Fraser fir can last four to six weeks in typical homes.
Years in the making
A real Christmas tree takes around 10 to 12 years to grow, the Soil Association says, which is one reason a good ending for it matters.
QUICK QUESTIONS
Christmas trees, answered.
Short answers to the questions people ask most.
Is a real or an artificial Christmas tree better for the environment?
It depends on what happens afterwards. The Carbon Trust puts a two-metre artificial tree at about 40 kg of carbon dioxide, against about 3.5 kg for a real tree that is chipped or burnt and about 16 kg for one sent to landfill. An artificial tree needs to be reused for around ten years to compare well.
How long will a cut Christmas tree last indoors?
With care, the Royal Horticultural Society says a cut tree should last about four weeks. NC State Extension rates Fraser fir as able to last four to six weeks under typical household conditions.
Should I cut the bottom of the trunk when I get the tree home?
Yes. The RHS advises sawing 2.5 cm (1 inch) off the base and standing the tree in a stand with a water well. By the time a tree reaches your home, the original cut has usually sealed over, so it cannot drink properly.
How long can a potted Christmas tree stay indoors?
The RHS says no longer than 12 days, ideally brought in the weekend before Christmas and kept in a cool room. If it starts to look unhappy, move it back outdoors sooner.
What should I do with the tree after Christmas?
Use your council’s garden waste or tree collection, or shred it for mulch. Chipping or composting keeps its footprint at around 3.5 kg of carbon dioxide; landfill pushes it to about 16 kg. Potted trees can be planted out or grown on in a bigger pot.
Where the facts come from
Updated
- Christmas trees: types and careRoyal Horticultural Society
- Christmas tree care: water use, stands and additivesNC State Extension
- Three steps to a long-lasting live Christmas treeUniversity of Illinois Extension
- Christmas trees: real, artificial and recycling (Carbon Trust figures)Gloucestershire Recycles
- Real Christmas trees and the Carbon Trust figuresBritish Christmas Tree Growers Association
- Is a real or artificial Christmas tree better for the environment?Euronews fact check, 2024