Leyland Cypress (Cupressocyparis Leylandii)
The foliage of the Leyland cypress tends to be arranged in irregularly flat planes with a dark green to gray color. The shoots branch repeatedly and have a contrasting mahogany color except at the tips. The trees have little aroma. Customers like it because it is not only a very beautiful Christmas tree, but if kept in water, it will outlast any other tree without leaving needles in the carpet.
Virginia Pine (Pinus Virginiana)
Virginia pine is a short-needled pine with pleasant pine fragrance, dense foliage and good growth rates. It has been by far the most widely planted southern Christmas tree over the past three decades and still is the most common pine species at most farms in the Deep South. For growing, it requires much additional work, as it must be sheared (shaped) twice per year to retain its pyramidal shape.
Eastern White Pine (Pinus Strobus)
Eastern White Pine needles are soft, flexible and bluish-green to silver green in color and are regularly arranged in bundles of five. Needles are 2 1/2-5 inches long and are usually shed at the end of the second growing season. For Christmas trees, sheared trees are preferred as shearing results in dense trees. Needle retention is good to excellent. White pine has very little aroma, but, conversely, is reported to result in fewer allergic reactions than do some of the more aromatic species.