Yup, we're going there. If you've left it until now to organise a Christmas tree, I'm going to assume it wasn't ever on the cards for you anyway. BUT, if things have been a little chaotic and and you're only just getting around to it well why not save yourself a trip and see if you've got any of these plants around the home to decorate.
Swapping out the traditional Christmas tree with something you already have at home is more sustainable and often much easier to manage (no cleaning up dropped pine needles in early 2023 for example!). Excitingly, its also often cheaper and you can enjoy it year-round.
So have a read, grab those baubles and candy-canes and get decorating. If if there is something here that strikes your fancy that you've just gotta have, pop into any one of our stockists to pick something up.
Option One: Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Our favourite option, as we feel its the appropriate alternative to the traditional 'northern' style (pine tree/northern hemisphere). For those of us dealing with a Sufing Santa, going the quintestinal tropical indoor plant is an apt way to keep your Christmas seasonally appropriate.
It's got height and its large foliage can deal with a few fairy lights so Santa won't have any trouble figuring out where to place those gifts.
(Yes, they can be a little more difficult to manage, but we've written about managing these guys here so there is no reason for you not to take the plunge and make it happen)
Option Two: Rubber Tree (Ficus elastica)
Hard to beat a ficus for a last minute tree swap, with the Rubber Tree coming in a close second. It's large, dark glossy foliage makes the perfect background to help those decorations pop.
It's also made to our 'Top 12 Plants You Probably Won't Kill' List so thats a bonus.
Option 3: Giant Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai)
Turns out this idea is so out of the box we couldn't find a single Strelitzia-cum-christsmas tree on instagram - so consider yourself a pioneer if you press forward with this option. Probably to most difficult to decorate, this option is perfect if you're thinking of a 'tropical north queensland theme' this year (or, more fittingly, you live in tropical north queensland). It's benefits include - tall. If you want to keep looking after it well after the jolly man in a red suit has been and gone, then check out our Bird of Paradise care guide here.
Option 4: Olive Tree (Olea europaea)
Another from our hot picks list (way back in 2020 mind you), the Olive tree is the only tree on the list that will actually decorate itself! If you want to go full sustainable/minimal effort, grab yourself an Olive Tree and convince yourself the fruit is actually small pale-green baubles. Add some tinsel and you're done!
We love Olive trees and have been advocating their prescence inside the home for a while now. If you have the right conditions (read our guide here), then seriously think about sticking with this tree well after Christmas and making it another member of your plant fam.
If it seems like we're just picking plants and telling you that a few decorations make it a seasonal, gift-sheltering, santa-attracting landmark, we are. The point is that each year thousands of Pine trees are grown only to be added to landfill a month or so after being used. Why not use something you already have in home (or treat yourself to something you'd like) and reduce that Christmas excess just a litlle.
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