Find the perfect Christmas tree for your family

Just below the hill where Gordon and Brooke Hunter show off their Christmas tree offerings for the year, a man clears fall’s leaves from the gravel road.

On this day, just the three of them pad around Hunters Christmas Tree Farm in Milton. But with Christmas just a few weeks away, they won’t be alone for long. Thousands of families converge on the Hunters’ site and farms across Georgia in search of the perfect tree.

“We’re already starting to get calls,” said Gordon Hunter, before heading out to the fields the other day.

Leyland cypress, Carolina Sapphire and the Fraser fir are among the more popular choices of Georgia families, said Coy Dillahunty, executive director of the Georgia Christmas Tree Association, based in Concord. Here are three local favorites and what you ought to know about them before taking them home:

LEYLAND CYPRESS

Also called the Murray cypress, the Leyland cypress is dark green-gray in color and has very little aroma. It does not produce sap, a plus for some allergy sufferers. It has a good Christmas tree shape and excellent needle retention. Murray has stronger limbs and therefore is easier to decorate.

• Pro: The color, shape and needle retention; will not aggravate allergies.

• Con: Some have relatively weak limbs and weak odor.

VIRGINIA PINE

Aside from being a good nesting site for woodpeckers, the Virginia pine is a staple for the Christmas tree industry in the South. Its branches are stout and woody and respond very well to trimming. It is small to medium in size and its foliage becomes extremely dense.

• Pro: Has a clean, pleasant pine scent and a dark green color. Needle retention is excellent.

• Con: Tends to collect insects and dry out faster.

FRASER FIR

In recent years, the dark blue-green Fraser fir has become one of the most popular Christmas trees. Its branches turn slightly upward. They have good form and needle-retention, as well as a pleasant scent.

• Pro: It stays fresh and fragrant the entire holiday season. There is a surplus in North Carolina, so the price may be lower than normal.

• Con: Can be pricey, especially in the larger sizes because of growing time.

No matter the type, Christmas trees need the same basic care. Make sure to use a stand that can hold at least 2 gallons of water. Before putting the tree in the stand, make a fresh cut on the bottom, especially for a tree that has been cut for more than a few hours. Use a stand that fits your tree. Avoid whittling the sides of the trunk down to fit a stand. The outer layers of wood are the most efficient in taking up water and should not be removed. No additives are needed to maintain the softness of the needles.

Source: Coy Dillahunty, executive director of the Georgia Christmas Tree Association