Liriope’s Muse: Tree Care Tips from a Master Arborist

1. A Tradition That Quite Literally Grows With Your Family

One of the sweetest parts of choosing a living tree is watching it grow as your family’s story unfolds.

Each December, you bring the same tree inside, decorate it with new ornaments, and see how much taller and fuller it’s gotten. You can mark its growth in photos, compare “tree height vs. kid height” every year, and turn it into a tradition your kids will remember.

Instead of a one-and-done tree, you get a living memory keeper.



2. It’s a Greener, More Sustainable Choice

Cut trees can be recycled or mulched, which is great, but a living tree keeps right on doing what trees do best: growing, cooling, cleaning our air, and enriching our lives.

With a potted tree, you’re not just decorating for a season; you’re investing in a long-term plant that can:

• Be repotted as it grows larger.
• Eventually be planted in your yard when it gets too large for your home (and continually decorated)
• Provide shade, beauty, and habitat for birds and essential pollinators.
• Clean the air of carbon dioxide and lower the temperature of your yard.

Over time, that “Christmas tree” can become a real anchor in your landscape, a living reminder that holiday choices can be joyful and environmentally thoughtful.

3. Cozy Indoors in Winter, Beautiful Outdoors in Spring and Summer

One of the biggest perks of a potted tree is its flexibility. You’re not limited to just a few weeks in December.

• In winter: Bring the tree inside for a couple of weeks, give it a place of honor, add lights and ornaments, and enjoy that fresh greenery and natural texture.
• In spring and summer: Move it back outside and let it shine on your porch, patio, or balcony. A potted tree makes a fantastic statement plant, especially in a nice container.

Instead of disappearing after the holidays, your tree becomes part of your home’s decor year-round – dressed up for Christmas, but still a star in every other season.

4. A Living Tree Teaches Kids (and Adults) About Nature

A living Christmas tree is also a built-in science lesson and a quiet little reminder that nature isn’t disposable.

Kids can:

• Help water the tree and check the soil
• Learn why the roots have to stay healthy
• See how new growth appears in spring
• Understand that the same tree can serve different purposes through the year

You’re not just saying, “We care about the environment”. You’re showing it in a very visible, hands-on way. That kind of lesson tends to stick.

To learn more about the care of a potted Christmas tree check out this blog: https://www.patchplants.com/pages/plant-care/complete-guide-to-potted-christmas-tree-care/

5. It Feels Special… Because It Is !

There’s something undeniably charming about telling your guests:

“This is our living Christmas tree. We bring it in every year.”

It feels more intentional and personal than grabbing a random tree from a lot, or big box store. Your tree isn’t just “a” tree, it’s your tree! One you’ve chosen, cared for, and brought back year after year.

It becomes part of the family story:

• The year you upgraded its pot
• The year you had to roll it in on a dolly because it got so big
• The year you planted it in the yard and picked a new baby tree to start the tradition over again

It’s a small change in holiday routine that makes the whole season feel a little more meaningful.

Quick Tips for Success With a Living Potted Christmas Tree

A living tree does need more care than a cut one, of course!

• Watch the roots: make sure you are monitoring the roots of the tree, as you don’t want them to become too confined. Once you see the roots peeking out of the bottom of the pot, it is time to upgrade the pot. (More on pot upgrades in this article: https://care.plantproper.com/care/when-to-repot-house-plants/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21237496546&gbraid=0AAAAACd_PEGrbAOyqtPkLnxViNiiAmxVN&gclid=Cj0KCQiAi9rJBhCYARIsALyPDtvYb6TyX8sISrAQHDloo3HvsPHCGSxg9djLSMrlUaj5Y7eIG06YV2Ua An2JEALw_wcB )
• Maintaining proper moisture levels: keeping the soils moist – but not saturated is key! Christmas trees are prone to root rot and health issues in over watered soils, so keep them well watered but not overwatered!
• Choose the right spot: Away from heat vents, fireplaces, and blasting space heaters as this can cause needle dropping, needle scorch, and a serious fire hazard! Instead, Christmas trees like the cool so it would be ideal to place it near the front/back door, or by a window but make sure it is not in direct light!
• Consider the future size: If you plan to eventually plant it in the yard, make sure the mature size fits your space (and isn’t too close to the house or power lines).

Final thoughts

In time your living Christmas tree can start to feel like part of the family, something you look forward to seeing, tending, decorating, and bringing inside each year. You remember when it was small enough to lift easily, when you had to get a bigger pot, or the year you finally planted it in the yard (when your littles ones flew the nest) and picked out a new baby tree to carry on the tradition with your grandchildren.

If you’re ready to start a new kind of holiday ritual, one that doesn’t end at the curb in January or covered in a layer of dust in the attic, this might be the year to bring home a tree that doesn’t stop at Christmas but keeps growing right alongside your family.