Fraser or Cook fir: which one to choose?

The Fraser and the Cook are two very popular Christmas trees. Side by side, they look a lot alike. But they don't behave the same way once they're in your home. Here's what sets them apart, and how to choose the right one for your room.

Two different trees

The Cook is a variety of balsam fir, the fir that grows naturally in Quebec. It's bluer than an ordinary balsam, with longer needles and thicker branches. Every Cook is a little different: the colour and density vary from tree to tree. Go by the tree in front of you rather than by its name.

The Fraser is a different species. Its needles are short (about 2 cm), dark green on top, with two silver lines underneath.

Neither one is prickly

Firs don't prick, unlike spruces. To tell a fir from a spruce, roll a needle between your fingers:

• the needle is flat and soft: it's a fir;
• the needle rolls easily between your fingers: it's a spruce, and it's prickly.

Careful: the Colorado blue spruce is blue too. So a blue tree isn't necessarily a Cook.

What matters most: a freshly cut tree

Freshness matters more than the kind of tree. A Cook cut ten days ago will last longer than a Fraser cut a month ago. In Quebec, trees are cut between late October and late November: ask when yours was cut.

Two simple tests before you buy:

• Run your hand along a branch, from the tip toward the trunk. The green needles shouldn't come off.
• Lift the tree and gently tap the bottom of the trunk on the ground. A few brown needles falling from the inside is normal. If lots of green needles fall, the tree is already too dry: pick another one.

Which one keeps its needles longer?

In a heated home, the Fraser keeps its needles the longest. The Cook does better than an ordinary balsam fir, but it loses its needles faster than the Fraser. It's the tree's natural reaction to being cut: even when well watered, a Cook cut early will eventually drop its needles.

Careful: a Fraser keeps its needles even when it's completely dry. So don't judge it by its looks. If the tree hasn't drunk any water for two or three days and its needles are dry and brittle, it's dry: take it out, even if it still looks good. A dry tree catches fire in seconds.

The scent

The Cook has the classic balsam fir scent, strong and fragrant. The Fraser smells less, and its scent is lighter. For both, the scent is strongest in the first days, then fades with the heat of the house.

Shape and decorations

The Fraser has stiff, well-spaced branches and a narrower shape. Heavy ornaments hang freely between the branches.

The Cook is wider and bushier all the way down. Decorations sit on the surface of the foliage: it's perfect for lots of lights and light ornaments.

Either way, hang heavy ornaments close to the trunk, where the branch is strong, and lighter ones at the branch tips.

What height to choose?

Measure your ceiling. For an 8-foot ceiling (2.44 m), subtract:

• the height of the tree stand (10 to 25 cm, depending on the model);
• room for the star or tree topper (20 to 30 cm);
• about 10 cm of clearance.

That leaves room for a tree of 1.75 to 2 m, or about 6 to 6½ feet.

At the same height, the Cook takes up more floor space than the Fraser. Also measure the width of the spot you have in mind, furniture included.

At home: the right steps

• Let it thaw. A tree brought straight from the cold into the house gets covered in water that drips onto the floor, and its frozen branches break easily. Leave it a few hours, ideally a full day, in an unheated garage or shed, standing up, with the base in a bucket of water.
• Remove the netting and wait a few hours: the branches settle back into place.
• Recut the trunk. Just before setting it up, cut 2 to 3 cm off the base, straight across. Put it in water within two hours: after that, the sap seals the cut and the tree can't drink anymore.
• Don't shave the bark to fit the trunk into the stand: water travels up just under the bark. Get a stand that's big enough instead, with a reservoir of at least 4 litres.
• Check the water every day. A fresh tree can drink 2 to 4 litres on the first day. The water must always cover the bottom of the trunk. If the reservoir runs dry, the cut seals within a few hours and the tree stops drinking: you'll have to take it out and recut it.
• Plain tap water, nothing else. Sugar, aspirin and bleach don't help.
• Keep it away from heat: at least one metre from a baseboard heater, fireplace or heating vent.

So, Fraser or Cook?

Neither is better than the other. It all depends on your room and your taste.

• Choose the Fraser for a small space or a corner, for a tree that needs to look good for three weeks or more, or for heavy ornaments.
• Choose the Cook for a large room or a high ceiling, for lots of lights, or if you love a strong fir scent.

If you can't decide, touch both: the feel of the needles and the stiffness of the branches will help you choose.

In short

• Choose a freshly cut tree: it matters more than the kind of tree.
• The Fraser keeps its needles the longest and takes up less space.
• The Cook is bushier, bluer and has a stronger scent.
• Recut the trunk before setting it up and always keep the reservoir full.
• Neither one is prickly: they're firs, not spruces.