Some 550,000 Christmas trees are expected to be harvested before end of year, do you know what type of Christmas tree you’re going to get?

Christmas trees are grown on farms throughout Ireland just like any other crop, the Irish Christmas Tree Growers Association (ICTGA) has said.

There are currently about 5m trees growing on Christmas tree farms around Ireland and these trees would not exist if not planted by farmers, according to the association.

The association has launched the Love A Real Tree website, to provide information of choosing a tree and caring for it.

There are six types of Christmas trees available from growers who are members of the ICTGA:

Nordmann Fir (Abies Nordmanniana)

This Christmas tree accounts for 75% of trees sold in Ireland. It has superb needle-holding ability and nick-named the “needle-fast”, the association stated.

It has a glossy, rich green foliage and it has large soft family-friendly needles; great for young children and pets.

The Nordmann Fir is ideally suited to indoor display.

Noble Fir (Abies Procera / Abies Nobilis)

The Noble Fir accounts for 15% of trees sold in Ireland and it has excellent proportions as well as a beautiful scent.

It has a bluer foliage compared to other trees and has slightly smaller needles than the Nordmann.

This tree shares the Nordmann’s needle-retention properties and the association stated that it deserves to be much more popular as an indoor family-friendly tree.

Norway Spruce (Picea Abies)

According to the association, this is the oldest traditional Christmas tree and it is the ideal tree for outdoors.

If you are thinking of getting this tree to use indoors, it must be in a water stand if indoors.

The tree’s needles are light green in colour and it has a good scent.

Fraser Fir (Abies Fraseri)

This is the tree usually chosen as the White House Christmas tree, according to the association.

It is a citrus scented tree of compact growth, slimmer than a Nordmann and it also has good needle-retaining qualities.

The Fraser Fir has soft dense needles, green with a silver underside.

The tree itself has a fairly conical shape with great proportions, particularly good in small to medium sizes.

Lodgepole (Pinus Contorta)

The Lodgepole is a tinsel-like tree and well-shaped when carefully sheared during growth.

It has bright green foliage, with long soft needles, according to the association.

Like the previously mentioned trees, it has exceptionally good needle-holding properties.

Korean Fir (Abies Koreana)

The ICTGA stated that this tree species has excellent needle retaining species.

It has dark green foliage with white buds and has a strong fir smell.

The Korean Fir also holds its cones upright.