Traditional vs Realistic Christmas Trees: A Guide to the Best Artificial Tree Styles

At Balsam Hill®, we design artificial Christmas trees that cater to your needs and preferences. Whether it’s a realistic Christmas tree that resembles your favorite evergreen or a traditional one that combines quality and budget, we have you covered. Find what style is best for you in this guide to foliage types and realism.

Needle Type

The first artificial Christmas trees featured papery polyvinyl chloride (PVC) needles. After some time, polyethylene (PE) Christmas trees gained popularity as a more lifelike alternative. Learn more about the two types below.

Classic Needles

Classic needles are made from flat PVC strips cut to resemble tree foliage.

Pros:

• Soft, flexible tips with a traditional artificial Christmas tree look
• More affordable than PE Christmas trees

Cons:

• Flat and papery Christmas tree texture

True Needle®

Created by Balsam Hill, these injection-molded PE needles mimic the structure, texture, and color variations of natural evergreens.

Pros:

• Recreates the dimension and detail of real tree branches
• More durable and long-lasting than PVC

Cons:

• Costs more than PVC Christmas trees

Levels of Realism

Most artificial trees feature a combination of PVC and PE needles—the more lifelike the tree, the higher the PE count. Balsam Hill Christmas trees are categorized into three levels of realism:

Traditional

Our most cost-effective trees feature 100% Classic Needle (PVC) foliage.

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Realistic

With up to 65% True Needle (PE) foliage mixed with Classic Needle (PVC), these lifelike Christmas trees strike the right balance between realism and budget.

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Most Realistic

These mostly PE Christmas trees are designed with more than 65% True Needle foliage for outstanding realism, with classic Christmas tree needles (PVC) near the trunk for added fullness.

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Tree Species

We use real branch clippings as our guide in crafting highly realistic artificial Christmas trees that remind you of your favorite tree species.

Fir

FEATURED: BH FRASER FIR®

Fir tree branches grow densely, concealing its trunk. Flat, flexible needles sprout singly from the stem and feature blunt ends. They grow in a spiral pattern up to the tip of each branch, giving fir trees a lush appearance.

Spruce

FEATURED: BH NORWAY SPRUCE™

A spruce tree has rough branches and needles that sprout individually from the stems. Unlike firs, spruce needles have pointed tips and four sides, which make them easy to roll between your fingers.

Pine

FEATURED: SCOTCH PINE

Pine trees have sparser branches around the trunk. Soft, long needles are attached to the stem in clusters of two, three, or five.

Color

FEATURED: SILVERADO SLIM® | FROSTED FRASER FIR® | SCOTCH PINE

Like real trees, Balsam Hill trees come in different shades of green depending on the tree species. We also offer FROSTED and WHITE TREES to suit special CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATING THEMES.

Green

FEATURED: BH BLUE SPRUCE FLIP TREE®

Our best-selling green Christmas trees take after the varied hues of favorite evergreens. For instance, the Silverado Slim has medium green tips, while the Scotch Pine has a combination of dark and light green foliage. Some trees are multi-toned, like the BH Fraser Fir® with dark green tips and silver undersides and the Classic Blue Spruce™ with blue green and silvery needles.

Frosted

FEATURED: FROSTED ALPINE BALSAM FIR®

Inspired by the wintry outdoors, our frosted Christmas trees are flocked with light layers of faux snow. They feature the same Classic Needle and True Needle foliage as the rest of our trees.

White

FEATURED: DENALI WHITE® CHRISTMAS TREE

An alternative to traditional green trees, white foliage is a versatile backdrop for unique ornaments and playful themes. Decorate for year-round occasions such as Easter, birthday parties, sporting events, and more.