Artificial or real? Blue spruce or white pine? Christmas tree farm or roadside stand?

These are some of the questions to consider when selecting a Christmas tree. Other factors include cost, convenience and environmental impact.

For many families, piling everyone in the car to find the perfect tree is a wonderful tradition. According to the National Christmas Tree Association’s website, 25 to 30 million live Christmas trees are purchased every year. Freshly cut trees smell wonderful and cost anywhere from $80 to $100.

Christmas tree farms grow trees specifically to be cut for Christmas. The Delaware Department of Agriculture’s website has a list of Delaware’s Christmas tree farms. Tree choices include firs, cypresses, spruces and pines. Some species have stronger scents, heavier branches, softer needles and better longevity. Firs and cypresses tend to keep their needles for four or five weeks, while spruce and pine begin to lose needles after tree weeks.

These farms typically allow you to explore their forest and select the tree you want. (Be sure to bring a measuring tape.) The employees will cut and wrap the tree in protective netting, and help secure it to your vehicle. The netting protects the branches and makes it easier to get the tree into the house and onto the tree stand.

Roadside sellers are often a little less expensive, but do not always have the machinery to wrap the tree. If you are purchasing a pre-cut tree, ask when it was cut down and choose one that is not more than one week old. If you give the tree a good shake and a lot of green needles fall off, the tree is too dry. Flexible needles are a good sign. The seller should be able to carve a slice off the base of the trunk, but if not, do this as soon as you are ready to put the tree up. The tree needs this fresh cut in order to be able to take up water.

Good care for any live tree will help your tree last longer. Place the tree away from a direct heat source and keep the tree stand filled with water. Tap water is all that is needed.

When it is time to place the tree outside for the county to pick up, be sure all decorations and tinsel have been removed. The county will turn the tree into mulch. If you send your tree to the landfill, know that the lack of oxygen means that decomposition will take many years. Unfortunately, millions of trees end up in landfills each year.

If you have space on your property, a live balled and burlaped tree can be a wonderful way to populate your property with a new tree each year. The native trees that do best in the mid-Atlantic region include the Eastern red cedar and the Eastern white pine, both of which will provide habitat and food to our native birds and insects.

These trees provide a lovely scent, but are very heavy. They typically cost between $100 and $200 depending on their size.

They need time to acclimate to their new home, which means keeping them in a protected area for several days before bringing them into the house — and doing the same when Christmas is over and it is time to move them outdoors. Keep the root ball moist, but not soaked.

For those who cannot easily maneuver a live tree, or who like finishing their decorating weeks before Christmas Day, an artificial tree might be a good choice. The cost of artificial trees range widely from $50 up to $2,000.

Careful handling and storage can keep these trees looking beautiful for many years. Try to avoid pre-lit trees where the lights are affixed to the tree branches, as the lights are often difficult to remove once they’ve burned out.

When it comes to the environment, some choices are more sustainable than others. The balled and burlaped tree is the clear winner — especially if the tree is native.

Live, cut Christmas trees are a good environmental choice when disposed of properly. Even though the trees are cut down, only a small percentage of trees are harvested each year. Live trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, protect against soil erosion, protect water supplies and support wildlife. An additional benefit of buying a real tree is that it contributes to keeping these farms in business.

Most artificial trees are shipped from China where they are made from non-recyclable PVC that is stabilized with lead, which degrades and breaks down into lead dust, which is especially harmful to children younger than 6. There is an increasing number of U.S. companies that produce artificial trees from recycled materials. Even though there is a market for secondhand artificial trees, many people send their artificial trees to the landfill after only a few years.

If you take time to consider your family’s needs, budget and the various factors involved when selecting your Christmas tree, you will feel confident about your choice.

For questions on this subject or any gardening topic call the Master Gardener Helpline: In New Castle County, 302-831-8862; in Kent County, 302-730-4000; and in Sussex County, 302-831-3389.

For information about master gardener workshops, visit: udel.edu/master-gardeners and click on Garden Workshops.