When it comes to choosing a Christmas tree, people often make their pick based on size and shape -or, if you're Charlie Brown, because a forlorn one needs a home. Telling a pine from a fir from a spruce can make for a fun seasonal science lesson, even if it doesn't really matter which of the evergreen family you bring home. That's a good thing, because those needles are the best way to tell what kind of tree is hosting your star.
Pines have long needles in clumps of two to five.
Spruce needles are short and square and will roll between your fingers, while fir needles are short and flat and are arranged in rows on either side of the twig. So, if you select the Scotch pine, the most popular Christmas tree, you'll likely have a tree with dark-green needles in small clumps that will smell good through the new year. Or you could choose the white pine. The white spruce will keep your ornaments in place, but the smell of its needles when crushed will quickly dampen your holiday cheer. The Douglas fir, on the other hand, has sweet-smelling crushed needles.