A Charlie Brown Christmas tree may be the antidote you need to the commercialism of the holiday season.
Maybe you had to stand in a Black Friday line to buy neon-glow hatching baby animal toys (“Hatchimals,” to those in the know). Or perhaps you are still on the hunt for Poopsie Surprise Unicorns or a Scruff-A-Luv fake rescue pet toy. Are the letters to Santa making you question the true meaning of Christmas?
A tiny, lopsided, live seedling can remind you of the holiday’s magic. Hang one small, shiny glass ball from a fragile branch and listen to Emmylou Harris sing “Silent Night.” Then start thinking about the best spot to plant your little Charlie Brown Christmas tree, come spring.
We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite Charlie Brown Christmas trees from the Jonsteen Company, a tree grower on the northern California coast (headquartered in McKinleyville, north of Eureka). For more than 25 years, in addition to raising seedlings the company has worked to be known for “teaching about trees and their many benefits to people and the planet; and for supporting, in perpetuity, the folks giving, selling, and growing its trees.”
As Linus might say, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
Balsam Fir
Widely considered the most fragrant Christmas tree (thanks to the aromatic resinous substance it emits), Abies balsamea “is shade tolerant, has a relatively shallow root system (typically reaching no lower than 3 feet), and can live for 200 years,” notes the Jonsteen Company. Balsam fir can thrive in USDA growing zones 3 to 6.
Coast Redwood
“Fossil records also indicate that the species is among the most ancient of trees; its lineage dating back 160 million years,” notes the Jonsteen Company. See more growing tips for California’s majestic trees at Giant Sequoia Trees: A Field Guide to Planting, Care & Design.
Montezuma Cypress
The national tree of Mexico and native to central America and southern Texas, a Montezuma Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) will be happy outdoors after the holidays in USDA growing zones 6 to 9.
Are you thinking about adding a tree to your landscape? For inspiration, see our curated guides to Trees 101. Read more: