Compact Christmas Trees for the Season: Explore 6 Authentic Mini Tree Species for Holiday Joy
Small evergreen trees can bring a touch of festive charm to your home during the holiday season while serving as attractive year-round houseplants. Landscaper Bonnie L. Grant, a Certified Urban Gardener, shares her hand-picked evergreen ideas for tabletop displays, houseplant gifts, and more.
One of the best choices for a compact indoor Christmas tree is the Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea glauca 'Conica'). This stout and fluffy conifer remains compact, with varieties like 'Tiny Tower' growing only up to 10 inches tall and 'Elf' up to 12 inches. It prefers full sun, moist well-draining soil, and is hardy in zones 3–6.
Boxwood (Buxus spp.) is another excellent option, known for its dense, rounded leaves. It can be maintained as a small indoor tree or shrub and is excellent for shaping and pruning into holiday topiaries or decorative forms. 'Golden Triumph' is a smaller cultivar suitable for container growth. It thrives in partial to full sun with loamy soil and moderate watering.
The Blue Arrow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum 'Blue Arrow') is a narrow, upright evergreen that fits well in pots and containers, with consistently dark green foliage year-round. It grows 3 to 6 feet tall indoors with proper care and prefers full sun to partial shade and moist soil.
For a subtropical indoor evergreen with a classic Christmas tree shape, consider the Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla). Although it can grow very tall outdoors, when grown indoors it stays smaller. It requires bright light and moderate moisture.
Tuscan Blue Rosemary, while not a traditional conifer, can be used as a live mini Christmas tree. It is an herb that can also be used for cooking and produces blue flowers in the spring. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil.
For a tropical twist, some choose the Cat Palm, but it is not evergreen in the traditional conifer sense and prefers warmer zones and higher humidity indoors.
The Pinpoint Blue False Cypress, a slow-growing conifer with blue foliage, can be planted outdoors for years of enjoyment when it gets too big for indoor use. It prefers full sun and well-draining soil.
The Amber Gold Arborvitae, with its Fire Chief variety, is similarly slow-growing and creates a reddish tone. It can grow up to 12 feet tall but is moderate in growth rate, making it suitable for indoor use as a houseplant. It thrives in full sun or partial shade and requires well-draining soil.
The Gold Cone Juniper can eventually reach six feet in height but due to its slow growth, it is perfect for many years as a real small Christmas tree. Its foliage is dense and tiny, lending the plant a soft appearance.
These varieties are well-suited for indoor container growth, providing year-round greenery and bringing festive charm during holidays without outgrowing typical indoor spaces quickly. They require adequate light (often bright indirect to full sun), well-draining soil, and regular watering without letting soil dry out completely.
The Boulevard cypress, Amber Gold Arborvitae, Gold Cone Juniper, Dwarf Alberta Spruce, and Pinpoint Blue False Cypress are available from the Shop platform, along with a variety of gardening gifts in the Shop's Garden Gifts section.
- For those seeking a touch of festive charm beyond the holiday season, consider adding a compact Dwarf Alberta Spruce or a small Boxwood shrub to your home-and-garden décor as an attractive year-round houseplant, perfect for shaping and pruning into decorative forms.
- If you're in the market for a mini indoor Christmas tree with a classic Christmas tree shape, the Norfolk Island Pine is a subtropical evergreen option that can be maintained indoors for many years with proper care, providing both greenery and a festive feel.
