Choosing a Colorado Christmas tree involves an annual forest expedition for some, or visiting a native tree stand where firs, pine and spruce are colored only by nature.
Ever wonder why those parking lot tannenbaums are so uniformly green? It’s because they’re spray-painted.
“It’s standard practice,” said Craig Jones, co-founder of Colorado Forest Products and longtime Boulder forester.
“I went to forestry school in Missouri, and my forestry management professor had a Christmas tree farm. He asked a couple students if they
wanted to earn some extra money by spraying his trees. I thought, ‘Spray what? You don’t have to worry about bugs!’ He was talking about spraying
them with paint. When you think about it, trees in the forest aren’t all exactly the same color – not even if you’re comparing 20 Doug firs. Most
Christmas trees they sell are already painted.”
Prefer a tree that isn’t painted? Get a tree-cutting permit from the U.S. Forest Service (see page 29A for locations) and cut a tree yourself, or buy
a tree from a seller in the Colorado Forest Products program (coloradoforestproducts.org).
For a tree with long-lived needles, South Park timber forester Bob Post recommends white fir or Englemann spruce. Slow-growing white firs and
spruce tend to grow more symmetrically than other species.
For a strong evergreen scent, Post suggests blue spruce or Englemann. Fir trees emanate a citrus-tinged scent. Piñon are especially aromatic
but, like all pines, also notoriously sappy in a warm house.
Post suggests keeping trees in a 5-gallon bucket filled with rocks, gravel and water. Water reservoirs on tree stands often are inadequate, he said.
Christmas firs, and other holiday trees, for a price
Here are a few Front Range vendors for native Colorado trees
BOULDER COUNTY
Big M Trees
303-449-2240
Southwest corner of 95th Street and Arapahoe Road, Lafayette
Fir and pine from southern Colorado
Big M Trees
303-449-2240
Corner of 30th Street and Pearl St., Boulder
Fir and pine from southern Colorado
Colorado Native Christmas Tree farm
3375 75th Street, just north of Valmont Road, Boulder
970-275-4852
Reindeer and other attractions
Colorado Native Christmas Tree stand
Northwest corner of 29th Street and Walnut
Street (near Macy’s), Boulder
970-275-4852
Longtime stand with 1,500 Colorado trees, including Douglas fir, white fir, lodgepole and piñon pine, and sub-alpine fir
DOUGLAS COUNTY
Danny’s Christmas Tree Lot
Northeast corner of Longs Way and South Dransfeldt Road, Parker.
720-373-1710 or 303-910-6880
Variety of trees, including piñon pine, and trees up to 15 feet tall
JEFFERSON COUNTY
Luckylure Christmas Trees and Holiday Activity Center
5231 Colorado 73, Evergreen
Family activities include pine-cone hunts and photographs in an 1800s covered wagon. Online: coloradochristmastrees.com
Paul Wewel’s Christmas Tree Lot
11890 W. Cedar Drive (near West Alameda Parkway and South Union Boulevard), Lakewood
303-985-8313
Warren Tech Vocational School’s Horticulture Class
3300 West Second Place, Lakewood
303-982-8600 (horticulture department)
Trees, wreaths and other floral arrangements available from this 30-year vendor
LARIMER COUNTY
Aspen Lodge
6120 Colorado 7 Estes Park, 7K miles south of Estes Park on Colorado 7 between Allenspark and Estes Park.
970-577-3402
Free hayride included with purchase of tree; reservations recommended
Jean and Randy’s Native Trees
Next to the Grange Hall, Rist Canyon Road, Bellvue
Veteran vendor of lodgepole pine, sub-alpine pine and Douglas fir
Boy Scouts of America Troop 8
Estes Park Lumber, 7400 S. St. Vrain Ave., Estes Park
The troop members harvest these trees
Don Hass Multiple Sclerosis Organization
Near Kmart at the southeast corner of North Wilson Avenue and Colorado 34, Loveland
970-669-3032
For 17 years, this organization’s native-tree sales have helped support the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Summerhill Tree Farm
1854 Quillan Gulch Road, Loveland
970-669-1238
Cut your own tree from species including Engelmann fir, blue spruce, ponderosa pine, white fir and Douglas fir.
Equipment checklist
- Garden shears or serrated bow saw for snipping off ungainly branches
- Heavy-duty gloves
- Sled and saucers for hauling tree (and catching sledding opportunities)
- Nylon rope, for tying tree to sled and to vehicle
- Water, warm drinks, food
Clothing checklist
- Boots with good snow traction
- Warm, washable coat (expect pitch spots)
- Warm gloves
- Warm hat
- Quick-dry pants or snow pants
- Sunglasses, sunscreen
At home
Cut at least 1 inch from the bottom of the tree. Immediately place the tree in a bucket weighted with rocks and gravel, and filled with water or fireproofing mixture (see recipe below). Keep tree stand or bucket topped off with water- and expect to refill it several times a day when the tree first enters the house.
U.S. Forest Service fireproofing mixture
Ingredients
- 2 gallons hot water
- 2 cups corn syrup
- 2 ounces liquid bleach
- 2 tablespoons Epsom salts
- 1/2 teaspoon borax
- 1 teaspoon chelated iron or Woolite
Directions
Combine all ingredients, and stir briskly. Chelated iron is sold in garden shops.
