Shonnard’s Nursery
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Description:

A massive conifer of the Pacific coast with an imposing spire-like form and rich dark green needles; requires ample moisture and high humidity, best for larger landscapes and parks

Top 5 Live Christmas Tree Picks

An increasingly popular alternative to a cut or an artificial Christmas tree is a living Christmas tree. This variety is an excellent live Christmas tree choice, allowing you to have a real tree inside and decorated for a very brief window – one to two weeks – and then move it back outside into colder weather for planting in the ground or a container.

Ornamental Features

Coast Douglas Fir is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The needles remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Coast Douglas Fir is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Coast Douglas Fir is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Vertical Accent

Planting & Growing

Coast Douglas Fir will grow to be about 90 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 feet. It has a low canopy, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 120 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Great Pick for Live Christmas Tree!

Local PNW native, for a regional or more natural look. Soft needles and forest scent on a loose branched tree. A quite fast growing and large tree.