Spruce and Christmas tree are not always the same thing. Essentially, Christmas tree is a collective term that is used to refer to artificial products and real forest trees. Christmas trees are also called holiday events. This word is often used to refer to a coniferous tree that dresses up for the New Year. At the same time, not every person understands exactly how a spruce differs from a Christmas tree.
Is it possible to call a spruce a Christmas tree?
The difference between the plants lies in the terminology. The Christmas tree is most often called the common spruce or European spruce. Spruce is a more complete collective term.It is used to designate trees that belong to the Pine family. It has approximately 40 plant species.
Main differences
So how exactly do the concepts in question differ? The fir tree is usually called the common spruce. Such crops grow in northern Europe. They are localized on the slopes of the Carpathians, Balkans, and Alps.
Such plants are evergreen trees that have an underdeveloped and not very resistant root system. They can reach 50 meters in height. The crown has a cone-shaped shape. The branches are drooping and attached to the trunk in a whorled and ring-shaped manner.
Norway spruce is a monoecious plant that pollinates in May. The tree produces seeds 4 times a year. The culture is characterized by small seeds measuring only 4 millimeters in size, which are located in the axils of the cones.
The Christmas tree is considered a shade-tolerant crop and undemanding to the composition of the soil. It is a forest-forming species. The comparative softness of wood makes the plant a popular building material. Tannins and essential oils are obtained from fir cones. A tincture is prepared from the buds of the plant, which has pronounced antimicrobial properties.
Spruce as a genus includes 40 plant species. The most common include Siberian, White, Oriental, Canadian, and Ayan species. Such crops are predominantly found in temperate climate zones. The trees can be seen in many regions of Eurasia and North America.
These plants live for approximately 300 years. However, in Sweden there is a tree that is considered the oldest creature on the planet. Its age is 9550 years. The wood of these crops is used to make paper, rosin, and turpentine. They are also used for the production of pulp and musical instruments. A decoction of spruce needles has long been considered an effective remedy for scurvy. Today the material is used to make vitamin flour, which is given to domestic animals.
What is the difference with other conifers
The plant has significant differences from other coniferous crops. The most significant features are shown in the table:
| Christmas tree | Pine | Fir |
| Characterized by a low growth rate. The average height of a tree is 30 meters. | Has an average growth rate. The height of the trees is 40 meters. | It is characterized by a normal growth rate and reaches a height of 80 meters. |
| It is distinguished by large reddish-brown cones. | It has yellow-brown cones that are medium in size. | It is distinguished by brown cones, which are characterized by an elongated shape. |
| The needles fall off gradually. At the same time, it takes 8-12 years to completely update it. The needles reach 3 centimeters in length. | The needles quickly fall off and are completely renewed within 2 years. The needles grow up to 6 centimeters. | The needles fall off gradually. It takes 4 years to update it. The average size of needles is 5 centimeters. |
Spruce and Christmas tree have a lot in common. These plants differ to a greater extent in the context of the use of concepts. Spruce is considered a broader term, while fir is a specific type of crop.
