1 00:00:01,840 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeartRadio. Hey brain Stuff, 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren Vogel Bomb And this is a classic episode 3 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: of the podcast. Christmas trees have a shape, but strangely enough, 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: there's no species of conifer that reliably grows in a 5 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: perfect cone every time. In this episode, we get to 6 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: the bottom of how Christmas trees are grown and why 7 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: we decided on that shape. To begin with, Hey brain Stuff, 8 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: I'm Lauren Vogel Bomb And, during the final month of 9 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: the year, or sometimes much sooner, vast numbers of harvested 10 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: trees begin their migration indoors, where they're festooned with ribbons, garlands, ornaments, 11 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 1: and lights. Although these trees are grown in the spirit 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: of Christmas, they don't magically or genetically aspire to a 13 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: perfectly peaked shape. After Christmas trees reach a height of 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: about three to four feet that's around one meter, orchard 15 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: workers start helping the shape along with a process called shearing. 16 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: The trees do most of their new growth in the spring, 17 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: after that starts hardening up. In the summer. Workers shear 18 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 1: each tree individually with long, sharp knives. The most common 19 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: types of Christmas tree are Douglas fir, cannon fur, frasier fur, 20 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:16,320 Speaker 1: and several species of spruce or pine. However, out of 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: these six hundred and thirty species of conifers in the world, 22 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: the majority don't actually grow in a strictly conical shape, 23 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: so trimming is a crucial task when growing these specimens 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: meant to become Christmas trees. This pruning process must continue 25 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: every summer until the trees reach a marketable age, which 26 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: usually takes six to eight years. So why do Christmas 27 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: celebrants demand pyramidal trees during the holidays. The notions behind 28 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,560 Speaker 1: much of the world's traditional Christmas decor originated in Northern 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: Europe and particularly Germany, where enduring images and tails from 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: the mid nineteenth century still ensure that sugar plums are 31 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 1: dancing for our heads and that our Christmas trees are conical. 32 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: In that part of the world. Evergreen trees are pyramid 33 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: shaped for good reason. Each needle leaf layer has a 34 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: better opportunity to gather sunlight for photosynthesis if the sun 35 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: isn't blocked by wide top layers. This tiered arrangement allows 36 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: the trees to shake off heavy snowfall, and the wide 37 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 1: spaces between branches that the winds whip through without causing 38 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: too much damage. Although synthetic Christmas trees don't generally drop 39 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: needles on the floor or pose a fire damage by 40 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: drying out, they can't replicate the experience of selecting a 41 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: real Christmas tree, and for a lot of people, it 42 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: just isn't Christmas without the piny smell of a freshly 43 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: cut tree. Millions of consumers agree, according to the National 44 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: Christmas Tree Association. In twenty sixteen, a consumer survey revealed 45 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: that the sales of real Christmas trees outpaced those of 46 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,399 Speaker 1: fake trees twenty seven point four million to eighteen point 47 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: six million. And as they grow and await their moment 48 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: in the spotlight, these real Christmas trees provide homes for 49 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: wild birds and animals while storing carbon and generating oxygen. 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,080 Speaker 1: And best of all, the trees are a renewable resource. 51 00:02:57,280 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: When one is cut, a new one is planted in 52 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: its place. Most people who buy real Christmas trees select 53 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: pre cut versions sold at retail lots, garden centers, and 54 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: chain stores. Only twenty three percent of those who opt 55 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: for the real thing go out and cut their own. 56 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 1: Today's episode is based on the article how do Christmas 57 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: trees get their shape on HowStuffWorks dot Com, written by 58 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: Laureel Dove. Brainstuff is production of I Heart Radio in 59 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 1: partnership with houstuffworks dot Com and it is produced by 60 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: Tyler Klang. Four more podcasts my heart Radio, visit the 61 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: airheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 62 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.