Evergreen vs. Cut Christmas Trees: Which is Better for the Planet?
This holiday season, sustainable Christmas décor takes center stage. More families are skipping cut trees and turning to evergreen plants like Arborvitae, Holly, and Juniper for a greener celebration! Live evergreens not only bring natural fragrance, color, and texture to your home - they continue to thrive long after the lights come down! Choosing a living tree or shrub from Nature Hills is a meaningful way to give back to the earth while keeping your décor stylish and eco-friendly!
Unlike cut Christmas trees that wither and end up in landfills, living evergreen plants are nursery-grown, landscape-grade specimens, and can be planted outdoors to grow for years. Varieties like Arborvitae offer dense, cold-hardy foliage that shelters wildlife, while glossy-leaved Holly Bushes add festive red berries that attract winter birds.
The fresh scent of Spruce and Juniper fills the air, evoking that forest-fresh feeling of the holidays - only better because it lasts all year! Choosing a live Holly plant or Arborvitae for sale at Nature Hills means your Christmas centerpiece keeps on giving, providing shade, privacy, and a living reminder of your most sustainable holiday yet.
As climate awareness grows, sustainable Christmas décor is more than a trend - it's a movement. A living evergreen gift is a beautiful symbol of renewal, resilience, and growth - the perfect message for a new year!
Landscaping Uses
Live Arborvitae and Holly Bushes are more than holiday accents - they're landscape heroes! After the season, plant your Arborvitae in your garden to form a lush privacy hedge. Their upright habit and aromatic, needle-like foliage make them excellent for windbreaks and year-round color.
Holly plants offer glossy leaves and brilliant berries that provide food for songbirds, while Juniper varieties add blue-green texture and fragrant foliage that's both drought-tolerant and heat-tolerant.
Care & Maintenance
To keep your live Evergreen trees and shrubs happy and healthy through the holidays, help them stay as close to dormancy as possible. Display your living décor in a cool, bright area away from heating vents, fireplaces, and direct sunlight that could wake them up too soon. Limit their indoor stay to about 7–10 days to prevent breaking dormancy.
Keep the root ball or container soil evenly moist but never soggy, just damp enough to protect the fine feeder roots. Avoid using ice cubes or cold water indoors, as sudden temperature swings can shock the roots. If your plant is wrapped, loosen or remove the decorative covering so air can circulate freely around the base.
Keep an eye on air humidity; indoor heat can dry evergreens out fast, so use a humidifier or mist occasionally, and always keep them away from cold drafts or heating vents to prevent stress or needle drop.
Once outdoor soil has thawed, transplant your Evergreen, such as Arborvitae, Spruce, Pine, or Cypress, into a sunny, well-drained location. Water weekly during the first growing season, and top with a 2–3 inch layer of mulch to insulate and regulate moisture. Once you can plant your tree, avoid overwatering and make sure your new living décor has room to grow into its natural shape - tall, graceful, and green through every season!
These resilient Evergreens are cold-hardy, low-maintenance, and ready to stand tall through every season. Fertilize lightly in early spring with a slow-release, balanced fertilizer, and prune only to maintain shape or remove damaged branches. With just a little holiday care and patience, your living Evergreen will reward you with year-round beauty and a fresh reminder of nature’s quiet magic.
Green is the New Red and Gold!
By gifting living plants this Christmas, you're helping the planet breathe a little easier. Live evergreens transform holiday cheer into long-term beauty, wildlife habitat, and oxygen. It's time to rethink "disposable" décor and embrace sustainable Christmas décor that grows with you. Plant your joy, watch it root, and celebrate a greener way to deck the halls.
Happy Planting!
