When I was a youngster 50 years ago, I remember the scent of the live Christmas tree traveling throughout my house. Perhaps my olfactory senses were more keen then but I haven't experienced that fragrance since. Oh... I've come close... but still "No cigar". The Fraser Fir seemed to come the closest for the past 5 years but this year... it seems to have lost it's fragrance too.
What' the general opinion; what live Christmas tree gives off the strongest, most lasting fragrance in a house? The Fraser firs are escalating in price... but I'm afraid they may not be delivering in the future. (Cut too soon... too late... just genetically changing?)
I agree with you that Christmas trees somehow don't seem to enhance the house with their scent as they did when I was a kid. But as you suggested, perhaps it's my nose and not the trees. That was such a magical part of Christmas, the wonderful smell of the tree, yet I never seem to get that anymore. I wonder why? I've even gone so far as to spray pine-scented air freshener around the room -- a feeble attempt to recapture the magic.
My favorite for scent is Balsam fir but I agree it's not like the old days. I don't think it's our noses though.
I think they breed these trees for a couple traits (density, and uniformity for example) and forget about the rest. I think they do the same with fruits and veggies these days. Breeding them for how they look and how long they last. They don't seem to care much about taste. Fruit tasted so much better when I was a kid.
B When I was a youngster 50 years ago, I remember the scent of the live Christmas tree traveling throughout my house. Perhaps my olfactory senses were more keen then but I haven't experienced that fragrance since.
The strongest smelling, the Norway spruce, is a dog of a Christmas tree, it has sharp needles and it sheds its needles
I am partial to Douglas Fir. However, even a fresh tree doesn't keep its aroma unless you crush some needles each day. That trick works with most fragrant trees except White Spruce which will stab your hand and then have an unpleasant smell.
Scotch Pine holds its aroma the best and Virginia Pine has a strong aroma, but to me, pines are not real Christmas trees.
These are the most fragrant Christmas trees: = = = = = = = = = =
Douglas Fir Good fragrance; blue to dark green, holds 1 to 1 1/2 inch needles well; needles have one of the BEST aromas among Christmas trees when CRUSHED. Good, conical shape; dense. Most common Christmas tree in the Pacific Northwest.
Frasier Fir Dark green, flattened needles; 1/2 to 1 inch long; good needle retention; nice scent; pyramid-shaped strong branches that turn upward; dense. Often shipped by mail-order companies.
Norway Spruce Shiny, dark green needles 1/2 to 1 inch long. Needle retention is poor without proper care; strong fragrance; nice conical shape. Very popular in Europe.
Scotch Pine Most popular Christmas tree; stiff branches; stiff, dark green needles 1 to 3 inches long; holds needles for four weeks; open appearance offers more room for ornaments; keeps aroma throughout the season; does not drop needles when dry.
Virginia Pine Dark green needles are 1 1/2 to 3 inches long in twisted pairs; strong branches enable it to hold heavy ornaments; strong aromatic pine scent; a Southern U.S. Christmas tree.
I think the firs are the most fragrant trees - particularly alpine fir - but that is difficult to log in midwinter - noble fir and grand fir are also fragrant......Many of these are difficult to get except in the PNW "
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