Just when I thought I was going to forego the cut Christmas tree and go with wreaths in the windows, I came across some potted evergreen trees that changed my mind again:
For sale at Home Depot, the potted trees that changed my mind are a wild-shaped evergreen. I can't find them on the website, but their needles are soft and their shape is bushier than the typical Christmas tree. I decided against purchasing these exact trees because they had been sprinkled with a coating of glitter that I just can't fathom tracking into my home. But those trees did set me off on a hunt for small potted trees to put up in two rooms of my home for the holidays.
I'll keep you posted on what I end up selecting - hopefully I will choose something this morning so I can get them decorated right away. The most assuring thing about my decision on what to do for a tree this year is the fact that once the season is over, the potted plants can be enjoyed throughout the year and even used again next holiday season.
Do any of you use live, potted plants as your Christmas tree? I'd love to hear of your experience in the comments below.
(Image: The Big Blend)
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Those are norfolk island pines, I ended up buying one this year to use as my christmas tree from Lowes. It too was sprayed with glitter, but I thought it seemed fun, besides my ornaments with glitter shead way more the the tree. I thought it would make a good year-round house plant as well (crossing my fingers I can keep it alive).
We used these as christmas tree in India. They stayed potted year round and we'd decorate them for Christmas with fake snow and ornaments. I have seen similar trees in ShopRite.
Great Idea! I have tons of plants around the house so I will definitely give it a try.
Those are adorable!
I just got married this summer and my husband and I don't have a place of our own yet but we didn't want that to stop us from having a first Christmas tree. We picked up a rosemary bush from our local nursery, used some fishing line to give it a more "Christmas tree" shape and decorated it with a short string of lights and some homemade garland. It's so cute and smells terrific!
The best part is that we'll have fresh rosemary to cook with all winter and come spring it can be planted outside!
http://picasaweb.google.com/kfladingphoto/Christmas2010#5548691537836873730
My roommate and I always decorated Norfolk Pines in college in lieu of a tree. Lights and all!
http://tinyurl.com/37hbjqo
I've always loved Norfolk Island Pines - They make great potted plants when clustered in a group on a balcony or terrace the rest of the year...
...particularly if there's a nice low groundcover in the pot along with them - such as a sweet thyme or clover.
Said Home Depot also sells Christmas tree shaped rosemary bushes which I bought one of. It's happily sitting in a terracotta bowl and sure to bring more benefits than a tree that I would have to throw out after the holidays.
I had Norfolk Island Pines as Christmas trees for years- one last 2 1/2 years, and the other I was able to give to a friend. (I killed the first when I tried repotting it. I kill everything I repot.) I don't like the Home Depot glitter-sprayed ones at all.
If you live in Virginia, I always got mine at Harris Teeter- they were priced well, very healthy, and glitter free. It made for a sweet little apartment tree.
I have a palm that I decorated this year with white Christmas lights. I bought clear glass ornaments from Michaels and placed feathers within then. I also bought a small glittery blue peacock that "roosts" in the lower branches. at the base of the tree I placed several gold christmas balls- they kind of look like eggs. I guess you could say it's my eccentric take on the partridge in a pear tree.
What I find a little baffling is that people often opt for live trees or potted mini-trees over cut trees because of a desire to avoid killing a cut tree or creating the environmental cost of a new cut tree year after year. But the fact is that a huge number of non-gardeners just can't keep those things alive year round. I know I couldn't. So they end up killing a tree/plant a year anyway. Well, it's a smaller tree/plans and that's something, I guess.
My fiancé and I bought a super-mini live christmas tree our first christmas together. Then we potted it, and we keep it outside all year and bring it in as our christmas tree for the holidays. It grows right along-side our relationship! I'm hoping to keep it alive for years, until we are old and grey with a huge christmas tree...