'Tis the season for fresh and green Christmas trees: Which one should you buy?

This year, why not go out on a limb and try something a little different?

Instead of buying or pulling out the plastic Christmas tree, embrace what nature has to offer with a potted tree. From traditional pines to local Australian natives, there are plenty of options to choose from. A potted tree can live for many years outdoors, be brought inside each holiday season, and eventually be planted in your garden or kept in its pot.

For a fresh-looking tree, buy it before Christmas and keep it inside in a brightly lit spot for no more than 10 days. Water regularly to keep the soil moist, and use a saucer to help catch excess water.

Christmas Star (Picea glauca)

Also known as white spruce, this is one of the most popular potted Christmas trees. You’ll often find it at the local nursery or garden centre, labelled with a red star. It forms a dense, conical shape with blue-green, needle-like leaves and has a fresh, crisp fragrance that brings a touch of forest indoors. This slow-growing tree can remain in the same pot for a couple of years before needing repotting, and it’s available in a range of sizes to suit your space.

Monterey pine (Pinus radiata)

Many artificial trees are modelled after this classic pine, much loved for its dense habit, soft, fluffy appearance and distinctive pine fragrance. It’s fast-growing and requires a light annual prune to help maintain its conical shape. Keep it in its pot unless you have a large garden, as it can grow upwards of 50 metres tall. Alternatively, look for a dwarf variety.

Woolly bush (Adenanthos sericeus)

This Australian native features feathery, silver-green foliage with a soft, woolly texture that invites you to touch it. It develops into a bushy shrub with a loose, pyramidal shape, so it fits the Christmas brief and also makes a wonderful feature tree in the garden, provided the soil is well-drained. The cultivar Bronze Glow has chocolate-coloured new tips.

Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis)

While it doesn’t have the traditional Christmas tree shape, the Wollemi pine has a fascinating backstory that makes it a standout choice. This living relic from the age of dinosaurs dates back over 200 million years! Once thought to be extinct, it was rediscovered in a remote Australian canyon in Wollemi National Park near Sydney. It features deep green, pendulous fern-like foliage, with bubbly brown bark, and will grow happily in a pot indoors or outdoors. Cut off the top of the tree once every few years to keep it compact.

More festive options:

• European spruce (Picea abies)
• Blue or Colorado spruce (Picea pungens)
• Pine-leafed geebung (Persoonia pinifolia)
• Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
• Fraser fir (Abies fraseri)

How to care for a fresh-cut tree

A freshly cut Christmas tree is fast becoming a beloved tradition. There’s something special about the fresh scent and the joy of choosing your own tree. Fresh-cut trees are at their best within the first two weeks but can last up to four weeks with the right care. Be sure to keep the trunk in water at all times, topping up the reservoir regularly to prevent drying out. Also, avoid placing your tree near draughts or air vents, as this can cause the needles to dry out faster.

Once the season is finished, dispose of the tree in your green waste bin or cut it up and add it to your compost bin.

Tammy Huynh is a horticulturist, a presenter on Gardening Australia and the owner of Leaf an Impression.