Branching out

Love the look, fragrance and feel of a fresh Christmas tree? grow your own and you’ll have an extra reason to enjoy the spirit of the season, writes Tammy Huynh.

- Tammy Huynh

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a tree. Festooned with twinkly lights, tinsel and treasured ornaments, it becomes a celebratory centrepiece. But don’t settle for a synthetic tree or a cut one that drops its needles and dies when the season is over. grow your own Christmas tree in a pot and you can bring it inside to play the starring role in the festive season, then pop it outside to enjoy in the garden until the next year. It is truly one of the gifts that keep on giving. Here, five varieties that are tops for pots:

WOLLEMI PINE (Wollemia nobilis)

This native pine (1) is one of the oldest and rarest plants in existence, so it makes for an intriguing addition to your space. It grows into an upright tree with a central trunk but can also ‘coppice’ and develop a multistemmed growth habit. The foliage is slightly pendulous with flattened leathery leaves that emerge bright lime-green before ageing to blueish-green. In cooler climates, the Wollemi pine enjoys a full sun position, but in warmer regions, give it a semi-shaded spot to prevent leaf scorch.