The most popular Christmas tree and how to keep it happy

The Fenton family searches for the perfect Christmas tree. (Copyright by WSLS - All rights reserved)

Floyd County (WSLS 10) - With 20,000 trees to choose from at Floyd County's Rifton Tree Farm and Nursery, it can be hard to find just the right one. But the families we talked to say they know exactly what they are looking for: a Frasier fir.

"We've always like the Frasier firs, said Wes Fenton, who was shopping with is family for the perfect tree. "They hold up good with the ornaments. I like them to be nice and full. Tall. Tall as you can," agreed his wife, Jess.

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"You know the roundness. It's got to be full all the way around on all sides just a full good, tree," said Scott Crandall, who was looking for a tree with his wife Arielle and six-month-old son, Clay. "It's hard to find the perfect tree that has the height of that roundness that you want," said Arielle.

The Crandalls came to the Rifton Farm in Floyd because it had been chosen to provide the tree to the Virginia Governor's mansion this year.

"We had heard that this farm had been picked for the Governor's Mansion trade and so I said well if it's good enough for the Governor it's good enough for us," said Arielle.

The Fenton family searches for the perfect Christmas tree.

The farm's owner, Robert O'Keeffe says the rain this fall means the needles should last longer than usual. But his advice is the same this year as it is every year for keeping trees fresh.

"The biggest thing is to keep water in the stand. If you cut the tree near the farm and go home and within 2-3 hours you can put it in the stand, you should be okay. If it's over three hours you should put a fresh cut on it so it draws up that water.  In the first day or two it'll draw a gallon or more water a day, but if you keep the water in there and make sure that doesn't go dry,  it will last well into the first of the year," O'Keeffe said.

As to what is the best Christmas tree, while our families were sure -- the expert says it's a matter of taste.

"The best Christmas tree is the one that the person loves. We have Frasier furs, Norway spruce, Colorado Spruce, but the Fraser fir has become the most popular. It's the what we call the Cadillac of the Christmas trees." said O'Keeffe.

O'Keeffe says it takes 10-12 years to grow a Frasier fir that reaches seven feet in height.  That's much longer than it takes to grow a white pine which was the most popular variety when he started tree farming in 1975.

Some good news for consumers, O'Keeffe says prices this year should be roughly the same as last year.


About the Author:

John Carlin co-anchors the 5, 5:30, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts on WSLS 10.