Nordmann vs Fraser vs Norway Spruce

Fir vs spruce: what's the actual difference?

Two of the three trees above are firs - the Nordmann and the Fraser, both Abies - and one is a spruce, the Norway (Picea). That is the real fork in the decision, and it comes down to how the needles are built.

Fir needles are flat and soft, blunt at the tip, and join the branch individually on a little suction-cup base. Roll one between finger and thumb and it won't turn. Spruce needles are four-sided and sharp, set on tiny woody pegs that stay behind on the branch after the needle drops - roll one and it spins easily. Those pegs are why a bare spruce branch feels rough and a bare fir branch feels smooth.

That structure is also why firs hold their needles so much better in a heated room, and why the Nordmann overtook the spruce as Britain's default Christmas tree. The trade-off is scent: the spruce is the one that genuinely smells like Christmas, and it is comfortably the cheapest of the three.

The practical rule: if the tree is going up in late November and staying past New Year, buy a fir. If you love the smell, are happy to buy in December and will keep the stand topped up, the Norway Spruce is a lot of tree for the money.

The thirty-second version

Most people should buy a Nordmann Fir. It's the UK's favourite for a reason: soft needles, superb retention, a full classic shape. Pick the Fraser Fir if your room is snug - it's the slimmest of the three and arguably the best-smelling fir. Pick the Norway Spruce if you want the traditional tree your grandparents had, the strongest scent in the business, and the lowest price - just bring it home in December and keep the stand topped up.

And if you'd rather never buy a tree again: a potted living Nordmann comes back every year.