Balsam Fir has needles that are dark green on top with two silver lines on the bottom. They are about to 1 inch long. Fraser Fir is similar to the Balsam Fir and is grown in the mountains of Tennessee, North Caroline, and Virginia. Douglas Fir is not a true fir. Its needles are dark blue to yellow-green and completely encircle the branches.
Spruce trees have needles that are attached to branches by short pegs.
Eastern Redcedar has sharp, pointed needles and scale-like leaves. However, if you buy your tree from a lot, there are two things you can do to check on the freshness of a tree. First, bend the needles back and see whether they break. The needles on a fresh tree are flexible and should bend in a U-shape without breaking. Second, pick up the tree about six inches from the ground and drop it.