Propagation of a Christmas tree
using your CUT Christmas tree

The beautiful CUT Christmas tree which you purchased this year is not suitable to use to propagate new trees.
Most commercial Christmas trees are propagated from seeds. From found or purchased seedlings, in a few years you will have a wonderful supply of Christmas trees to use, give away or sell!
 

At this time of the year we expect to receive an email from a Mom who says that her tearful three year old loves their Christmas tree and wants to keep it forever. She asks, can she propagate a new tree from a cutting taken from the cut tree? What can we say? Perhaps the best thing she can do is to take a photo of the tree or have the child make a picture to keep forever.

Most evergreen trees used for cut Christmas trees are not possible (or very difficult) to propagate from cuttings. Unfortunately the pine family, which has many varieties suitable for Christmas trees, is difficult or impossible to propagate from cuttings. Tree companies, like Lawyer and Musser listed below, likely propagate their  trees from seeds. It is easier to use seed for propagation since a typical seedling can grow to one to two feet in the first two years then transplanted out, becoming a six footer in about five to six years. In that case, why bother to use cuttings?

Regarding the cut Christmas tree, consider the problems of taking cuttings from a tree which was cut down some weeks before. The cuttings from any plant must be carefully taken from the proper part of the plant and treated in an appropriate way. See: http://www.rooting-hormones.com/takecut.htm. Suitable evergreen trees which can be propagated from cuttings must have the cuttings taken from the current seasons growth and near the base of the plant. It is better to have a young tree as the parent stock.

Some evergreen varieties which can be propagated from cuttings are:

False cypress (chamaecyparis) family. These are propagated from winter cuttings which are treated soon after taking cuttings using the long soak method with Rhizopon AA Water Soluble Tablets at one to two tablets per liter water, for four to six hours, then stored in a plastic bag in a refrigerator until the spring.

Spruce (picea) family. These are propagated from late spring to early summer cuttings using Rhizopon AA #3 by the dry dip method.

Douglas fir (pseudotsuga). These are propagated from winter cuttings which are stored in a plastic bag until spring then treated before planting using Rhizopon AA #3 by the dry dip method.

One type of plant which is often used as a potted Christmas tree plant is the Norfolk Island Pine (araucaria). This is a tropical plant which looks similar to the hardy pines. These can be propagated at any time of the year using the current seasons growth. Use Rhizopon AA #1 by the dry drip method.

Some of the favorite varieties used for Christmas trees in the US and Canada are:

Some the the most beautiful Christmas trees are the living trees in pots or balls. After the holiday season simply take the tree outside and plant it at the appropriate time for your area (subject to frozen soil to dig the planting hole).

There are many suppliers of Christmas tree stock grown from seed. We do not recommend any particular supplier. Two well known tree farms are:

We wish you and your family all the best for the Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!