As young trees, pi ons have excellent Christmas-tree shapes. As the trees mature, they become more rounded. Contrary to what some people believe, there are plenty of pi ons available in the state for Christmas tree harvesting. Many people don't like to cut pi on trees because they think there aren't enough of them. For more traditional-looking Christmas trees, Cain recommends selecting higher elevation conifers like white pine, white fir and Rocky Mountain Douglas fir.
White pines have gray bark, blue-green foliage and long, soft needles.
The branches are flexible, so heavy bulbs and ornaments may cause the limbs to droop. They're heavy cones with a dark woody color. They're the largest of our native pine cones, so they often are used in Christmas arts and crafts. White firs have soft, blue-green foliage and an open branching pattern. This openness makes displaying ornaments easier.