Say the words “ Christmas tree ” and you ’re probably picturing stately coniferous tree like fir , pine tree , spruce , and cedar , or even the less common cypress . You might be conversant with Scotch pine , Virginia true pine , and Eastern clean pine , and you ’ve likely never heard of Monterey pine .
In fact , it does n’t even make the list of popular Christmas tree at theNational Christmas Tree Association .
But in Southern California , Monterey pine(Pinus radiata)is the de facto Christmas tree , develop on suburban tree farms spanning hundreds of estate in our Mediterranean climate .
It is the quintessential Southern California Christmas tree , and only here will you obtain category out in the line of business , track down for that perfect Christmas tree in December while wearing boxershorts and impudent floating-point operation . ( And as you could see , I was completely overdressed in my face cloth and jeans . )
For the first time since we started dating eight geezerhood ago , the hubby and I are spending Christmas at home . Just us and the pug-dog , and our extended family of friend on Christmas Eve . His mother gifted us with a box seat of ornaments from his childhood in hopes that we would set forth our ownholiday custom , and that include garnish our own Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree .
It would ’ve been easy to just pull a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree out of a parking lot and call it a day , but we require to make a substantial , full Clarence Shepard Day Jr. of it — out on a farm , strolling among stands of tree until we find the perfect one .
Our near tree farm was an hr away in Orange County , just off a main road in Carbon Canyon . It was 75 ° F that afternoon , and the medal trees towering above the pine groves made the jaunt feel more like a summer vacation than a Christmas tradition .
( You rememberour sweetened pug Bug ? )
Like all Christmas tree diagram farm in Southern California , Peltzer Pinesspecializes in Monterey pine , which have long , lenient needles , a deep green color and a rich pine fragrance .
The coniferous tree are rarified in North America , native to only five humble regions on the west coast : the Año Nuevo area in Santa Cruz County , the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey County , the Cambria area in San Luis Obispo County , and Cedros Island and Guadalupe Island off the glide of Baja California , Mexico .
Compare that to New Zealand , another native habitat , where they produce on millions of Akka and are a national image . ( Though in the Southern Hemisphere they ’re appreciate for their timber , and not as a seasonal symbol of Christmas . The New Zealand Christmas tree diagram is in reality a coastal evergreen in the myrtle family called a pohutukawa . )
In fact , many of the Christmas tree farms in California ( include Peltzer ) get their Monterey pine seeded player from New Zealand , where they ’re known as radiata true pine . They farm to size quickly thanks to irrigation , and are quick to harvest in only four years .
We walked up and down row after row of well cut back Monterey pines , debating the merits of each . Was this one too tall , or this one too wide ? Did this have swan outgrowth that might require more pruning at home ?
I actually have a confession : We think we ’d detect our tree diagram , just five minutes after we ’d park and walk across the parking tidy sum . It was a shapely pine right on the edge of the farm and had n’t been ruby - tagged yet .
But Will take a firm stand that a Christmas tree search was n’t complete without expend at least an hour arguing over our favorites , as his family was wo nt to do back in the solar day !
So we circulate the farm and eventually foundtheone : a rich pine just shy of 7 feet marvellous . It was beautiful !
We sawed it down and secured it to the roof of the car . When we brought it into our house , it instantly free an intoxicating pine scent that normally only comes from tenting in the wood .
understand more:7 Proven Tips and Tricks for Making a Christmas Tree Last Longer
Though it might still feel like summertime outside , inside it ’s undoubtedly Christmas .
Related:10 Clever Ideas for Repurposing an Old Christmas Tree
