Orange County’s Holiday Forests
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, unless there’s a big gap in the middle of the living room where that tree should be. Finding one won’t be a problem. Many stores sell trees in their parking lots; independent sellers operate throughout the county, and choose-and-cut lots abound.
Tree Types
Most pre-cut trees are grown expressly for Christmas. They come from Riverside, San Bernardino, Oregon and Washington plantations. The most popular trees:
* Scotch Pine ( Pinus sylvestris )
Description: Beautiful, large tree with crown of spreading branches that becomes rounded and irregular; rich blue-green foliage
Fragrance: Mild
* Noble Fir ( Abies procera )
Description: Large with conical crown rounded at tip with short horizontal branches; needles are flat grooved above, blue-green with whitish lines
Fragrance: Mild, woody
* Douglas Fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii )
Description: Slightly drooping branches form narrow pointed crown; long, dark yellow-green or blue-green needles end in rounded tip and short, twisted stalk
Fragrance: Sweet, strong
* Frasier Fir ( Abies fraseri )
Description: Cross between noble and grand fir; tips have blue tint beneath; short needles taper upward
Fragrance: Sweet, like syrup
* Grand Fir ( Abies grandis )
Description: Pointed, narrow crown of slightly drooping branches; needles spread at right angles in two rows; shiny dark green above, silvery white beneath
Fragrance: Strong
* Monterey Pine ( Pinus radiata )
Description: Irregular, open crown with long, shiny green needles
Fragrance: Strong
Note: All Orange County’s choose-and-cut trees are Monterey pine
Freshness Test
Depending on accessibility and weather, some trees are cut weeks before shipping, others only days. Those in remote areas are cut early to allow shipping before snow begins. Trees are moistened on the trucks to keep them fresh. When choosing a tree:
* Gently grasp a branch between thumb and forefinger and pull toward you. Very few needles should come off if the tree is fresh.
* Check the ground; avoid trees that shed green needles.
* Ask where trees are from and when they were delivered.
* To sample the tree’s fragrance, find a small pouch of sap at base of limb and squeeze out some sap and smell.
Preparation and Maintenance
A tree will absorb as much as a gallon of water in the first 24 hours and one or more quarts a day thereafter. Use a tree stand that holds two or more quarts of water. Before setting in stand:
* Trim an inch off the trunk to increase water absorption.
* Immediately set in bucket of water, out of wind, sun and other drying agents.
* Reach between limbs and remove dry needles.
* If desired, use pruning shears to perfect tree shape.
* Do not move the tree inside the house until you are ready to decorate it.
Disappearing Crop
Orange County Christmas tree production has fallen off during the past five years as property values have overtaken profits from tree production and sales
Tree Production and Value:
1990: 50,000 at $1,950,000
1994: 17,480 at $651,200
Home-Grown
The best way to guarantee a fresh tree is to have it cut at a tree farm. Some locations are:
1. Anaheim GreenTree Farm
2715 W. Broadway, Anaheim, (714) 827-1021
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
2. Cambridge Pines
1550 N. Cambridge St., Orange, (714) 637-7507
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
3. Lakeview Pines
18281 Bastanchury Road, Yorba Linda, (714) 970-0694
Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
4. Lyon Christmas Tree Farms
a. 8700 Slater Ave., Fountain Valley, (714) 843-5858
b. 7462 McFadden Ave, Huntington Beach, (714) 891-7639
c. 10722 Magnolia Ave., Stanton, (714) 995-3032
Open weekdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
5. Peltzer Pines
a. 7596 Chapman Ave, Garden Grove, (714) 897-6161
b. 16841 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, (714) 727-4699
c. 1545 N. Batavia St., Orange, (714) 637-5555
d. Corner of Chapman Avenue and Jamboree Road, Orange, (714) 289-1129
e. Corner of Rose Drive and Bastanchury Road, Yorba Linda, (714) 996-4443
Open weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
6. Pine Street Pines
1250 Pine St., Placentia, (714) 528-6672
Open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
7. Wittman’s Christmas Tree Acres
7740 Stanton Ave., Buena Park, (714) 522-1600
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
* Sources: California Christmas Tree Growers Assn., Nurseryland, Johnson Bros. Trees, “The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees--Western Region,” “The Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Trees of North America--Western Region,” Encyclopaedia Britannica.
* Researched by APRIL JACKSON / Los Angeles Times and DORIS SHIELDS / Los Angeles Times
