Balsam wreaths are made from the
Balsam Fir trees called Abies balsama, which is a native fir to New
England that only grows in the colder sections of the region and into the
Canadian Maritimes. The needles are generally flat and the trees tend to
grow close together; which, slows the growth of the foliage giving it a
natural pruned effect and a fuller branch. The balsam fir is known for its
aromatic smell and is used in incense and potpourri. There are certain
times of the year when the Balsam fir tree is dormant and it will hold its
smell and needles longer. That time is when the weather is cold, usually
two nights at temperatures of 20 degrees F is a signal that the needles
are "set". This reason alone is why Balsam wreaths are only used in the
winter time and have become a Christmas tradition.
Christmas wreaths are made
from the tips of balsam fir tree branches. The tips are usually 12 to 20"
long. Sometimes the tips are broken into 2 or 3 pieces. Collecting these
tips is called tipping. The tips are put together in bunches and wired
onto a ring to make the Christmas wreath. A single-faced wreath means that the
bunches of balsam are attached to only one side of the wreath ring. A
double-faced wreath has the bunches of balsam built around both sides of
the wreath. These wreaths are much fuller and much more desirable.
Another
measure that is necessary for a quality wreath is that no tips can be
harvested until the needles have "set", this means we must wait until the
night temperatures have been in the low 20's for a minimum period of 5
consecutive nights. At this time, the balsam fir tree stops growing and
goes into dormancy which causes the sap in the trees to go into the
ground. This makes the needle's pores form a waxy coating that covers the
pores and needle's surface. The cold also causes the needle sacs to
contract, which helps holds the needles tight. This measure insures that
our products do not shed their needles and last intact well past the
Christmas season.
