Real Christmas Trees

A real Christmas tree changes a room. The scent, the weight of the branches, the way the light catches the needles. No artificial tree comes close.

This is our complete guide to real Christmas trees in the UK. What the types are, how they differ, what size you need, how to keep one alive, and how to get one delivered to your door. We have been sending real Christmas trees across Britain since 2020, so most of this comes from doing it rather than reading about it.

Delivery is free, you choose the date, and we cut the tree to order.

Why buy a real Christmas tree?

The green argument is the one people get wrong. They assume the reusable plastic tree must be kinder. It is not.

An artificial tree is made of PVC and steel, shipped a long way, and it cannot be recycled. You would need to reuse one for about ten years before its footprint matched that of buying a real tree each year. Most people replace theirs long before a decade is up.

Real Christmas trees do the opposite. While they grow, and they grow for years, they pull carbon dioxide out of the air and nitrogen out of the soil. They give cover to birds and insects. For every tree cut, at least one more goes into the ground. Our trees are British grown on family farms, so they are not flown in from anywhere.

Then there is the part no spreadsheet captures. A real tree smells like Christmas.

The types of real Christmas tree

Six or seven types turn up in British homes. They are not interchangeable. Needle retention, branch strength, scent and shape all vary, and the right one depends on when you put it up and what you hang on it.

Here is each one, and what it is actually like to live with.

Nordmann Fir

Britain's favourite, and for good reason. The Nordmann Fir is the non-drop tree. Its needles are soft, deep green, glossy on top, and they hold on for weeks. You can put a Nordmann up in the first week of December and it will still look right on Christmas Day.

The branches are strong and evenly spaced, so they carry heavy baubles without drooping. The needles are blunt, which matters if you have small children or you are the one reaching into the middle to fix the lights.

It gives off less scent than a spruce. That is the trade. You are buying needle retention, and it is worth it.

This is the tree we sell most of. Shop the Nordmann Fir.

Norway Spruce

The traditional Christmas tree. This is the one in the old photographs and the one on Trafalgar Square. Bright green, a classic conical shape, and a strong pine scent that fills a house.

It drops. That is the honest truth about a Norway Spruce. Keep it away from radiators, get it into water fast, and top the water up every day, and it will hold. Put it up in late November next to a hot radiator and you will be hoovering needles by mid December.

Buy it for the smell and the tradition. Put it up a little later. Shop the Norway Spruce.

Fraser Fir

A narrow, dense tree with blue-green needles and a strong citrus scent. The slim shape makes it popular in flats and narrow rooms where a wide tree will not fit. Needle retention is good, close to a Nordmann.

We do not stock the Fraser Fir. If you want that combination of strong needle hold and sturdy branches, the Nordmann Fir is a great alternative and it is the closest tree we sell.

Noble Fir

A handsome tree with blue-green needles that sit up off the branch, leaving gaps between the tiers. Florists love it. Those gaps are perfect for hanging ornaments so they actually show.

It holds its needles well and has a rich scent. It is also usually one of the pricier trees.

We do not sell the Noble Fir. For strong branches that display heavy decorations well, the Nordmann Fir is a great alternative.

Blue Spruce

Striking, silvery blue, and sharp. The needles on a Blue Spruce are genuinely prickly, so decorating one is a job for gloves. It has a good scent and stiff branches that hold weight well.

Not a tree for a house with toddlers.

We do not stock it. If you want a traditional spruce with the scent to match, the Norway Spruce is a great alternative.

Korean Fir

The rare one. Dark green needles with a silver underside, and if you are lucky, small purple cones sitting up on the branches. It looks unusual and people notice it.

Hard to find and normally expensive. We no longer sell it. For a premium tree with excellent needle hold, the Nordmann Fir is a great alternative.

Pot grown Christmas trees

Not a cut tree at all. A pot grown tree is alive, roots and all, sitting in a pot. Ours run about 2ft to 3ft.

The appeal is obvious. Water it, keep it cool, put it outside after Christmas, and it can come back next year. It will not last forever, and it will not thrive if you keep it in a warm living room for a month. Treat it as a plant, not a decoration.

Small spaces, flats, and anyone who dislikes cutting a tree down. Shop pot grown Christmas trees.

What size Christmas tree do you need?

Measure your ceiling first. Then take off a foot.

That last foot is where people come unstuck. The tree stand lifts the trunk off the floor, and the star or angel needs room on top. A 7ft tree in a 7ft room does not fit.

Most homes land between 5ft and 8ft. Think about width too. A tree is roughly two thirds as wide as it is tall, so an 8ft tree needs a good five feet of floor. Push a wide tree into a narrow alcove and you lose a third of it to the wall.

We measure from the base of the trunk to the leader, the vertical shoot at the very top where the star sits. Pot grown trees are measured from the bottom of the pot.

We can supply trees up to 60ft for offices, hotels, shopping centres, churches and town squares. If you need something on that scale, get in touch for a quote. Full detail in our Christmas tree size guide.

How to keep a real Christmas tree fresh

A real tree is a cut flower. A very large cut flower. It drinks, and if it stops drinking it dies and drops.

Saw an inch off the bottom of the trunk before it goes in the stand. The cut end seals with resin within hours of being cut, and a fresh cut opens it up so the tree can take water again.

Get it into water straight away. Use a stand with a reservoir. A tree can drink a couple of litres in its first day indoors, and if the reservoir runs dry the trunk seals over and you have to start again.

Check the water every single day. This is the whole job.

Keep it away from radiators, wood burners and sunny windows. Heat is what kills trees. A cool corner will buy you weeks.

A good Christmas tree stand holds the tree upright and holds the water. It is not the place to save ten pounds.

Getting your real Christmas tree delivered

Delivery is free anywhere on the UK mainland. No minimum order, no postcode surcharge.

You choose your delivery date at checkout. We deliver from 17 November to 22 December, every day except Sunday. You can pre-order from September, and the good dates go early.

We cut and pack your tree the day before it travels, so it spends as little time in transit as possible. Each tree is netted, then loaded into a heavy-duty tree carrier with a cane inside to protect the shape. It comes out looking like it did in the field.

Deliveries run between 8am and 6pm and you do not need to be in. If a tree arrives damaged, tell us and we will replace it free of charge.

More detail on Christmas tree delivery, including the areas we cover.

After Christmas

A real tree is compostable, which is the last thing an artificial one can say for itself.

Check your council first. Many collect trees free in January and chip them for mulch. Some charities collect for a donation, which is a good way to give to a hospice and clear your hallway at once.

If neither suits, add our tree collection service to your order and we will take it away.

A pot grown tree goes outside instead. Put it somewhere sheltered, keep it watered, and it may well come back next year.

Real Christmas tree FAQs

Which real Christmas tree drops the fewest needles?

The Nordmann Fir. It is the non-drop tree and it is why most people buy one.

When should I buy my real Christmas tree?

Order early to get the delivery date you want. Take delivery in the first two weeks of December for a Nordmann. Leave it a little later for a Norway Spruce, which drops sooner.

How long will a real Christmas tree last indoors?

A well watered Nordmann Fir will hold four to five weeks. A Norway Spruce will do three or so. Both do far worse next to a radiator.

Do real Christmas trees need water?

Yes, and daily. It is the single thing that decides whether your tree makes it to Christmas.

Are real Christmas trees better for the environment than artificial ones?

Yes. A real tree absorbs carbon while it grows and composts at the end. An artificial tree needs about ten years of reuse before it breaks even, and it cannot be recycled.

Choose your real Christmas tree and pick your delivery date. Delivery is free.