How Genetics Is Perfecting The Christmas Tree
Fraser Fir Wikimedia CommonsThe Fraser fir is an ideal Christmas tree, but it could always use improvement. One tree scientist is making them stronger and hardier. With just a few days left until Christmas, my tree is barely holding on--to its needles, to its stiffness, and to its dignity. It was an early tree this year, the result of the earliest possible Thanksgiving, but it was more than that. There was something about this tree that made it dry out quickly, and make it less likely to keep its thin needles. It is a Fraser fir, Abies fraseriis, so this was a surprise to John Frampton. Frampton, a professor in the department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University, is the expert on Fraser firs, the most popular Christmas tree. Their conical shape, superb needle retention and sturdy boughs make them perfect for keeping both ornaments and...