During each of the past six Decembers, a balsam fir tree has been cut and taken from our patch of woods. This past December was no exception. This time, the thief climbed 12 feet up a balsam fir to cut off the top part, which he no doubt used for his Christmas tree. Even though we kept a careful vigil, we did not see the thief in action.
The balsam fir is one of the most important conifers in northeast United States. With its pyramidal spire-like crown and dense dark blue-green foliage, it has been highly prized as a Christmas tree for the last 400 years. It does not easily shed its needles and it brings the pleasing aroma of the great north woods into your home.
In his book “A Natural History of North American Trees,” Donald Peattie wrote, “The delicious fragrance of the balsam fir needles is the dearest odor in all of nature.” He mentioned that “the old-timer logger had little use for the balsam fir save as to make himself a natural sweet-smelling mattress.”
Balsam fir boughs are used in stuffing “pine pillows” that are sought after for their aromatic fragrance in souvenir shops.
Male and female components exist on the same tree, and small winged seeds are released from the cones in the fall. The resin of the balsam fir has been used in air fresheners, incense and as cold remedies. Balls of the resin oozing from the bark of the balsam fir were used as a chewing gum by the old timers.
There are about nine types of fir trees that grow in the United States. The needles are distributed evenly along the branch, like fur on an animal. Wildlife depends on the fir trees for food and shelter. The fir trees mentioned in the Bible most likely made reference to a variety of evergreen trees.
Bette Paine has been selling Christmas trees from her River Road Plantation in Penacook for the past 20 years. She said she loves to watch entire families come to select and cut down a tree to take home. She especially enjoys seeing children take part in the process. This past season she and her son, Stacy Paine, sold 325 trees. Next season Bette anticipates having 500 trees ready to sell. She said that the balsam fir is the tree must often selected and people start coming to pick out their tree as early as the Thanksgiving weekend.
This past holiday season, the 19-foot Christmas tree that First Lady Michelle Ohama selected for the Blue Room of the White House was a balsam fir.
And I am sure that her tree was not stolen.
