Where You Should Never Put Your Christmas Tree, According to Experts

When you find the perfect tree at the Christmas tree farm, you want to keep it up as long as possible to enjoy its evergreen beauty and the fresh pine scent that fills your home. To ensure your tree stays healthy and thrives throughout the season, consider a few key points when choosing its location. In preparation for the Christmas season, we spoke with horticultural, forestry, and Christmas tree farm experts to find out which areas in your home to avoid placing your tree for longevity, along with helpful tips for caring for it. Here, we share all of their insights.

Avoid Placing Your Tree Near Heat and Light

The fireplace area often features Christmas trees to complete the festive, cozy aesthetic that we all know and love. However, experts say placing your Christmas tree near a heat source—such as a fireplace, heater vent, or window that receives direct sunlight—is one of the worst spots for your tree. These common locations can quickly dry out the branches and increase the risk of a house fire during the holidays.

According to Kurt Emmerich of Emmerich Christmas Tree Farm, placing your tree in a cool location is crucial for maintaining its freshness all season and keeping your home safe.

How Heat and Light Dry Out Your Tree

When a Christmas tree is kept by the fireplace, heater, or in direct sunlight, it increases water loss through evaporation, leading to the tree drying out. As the tree dries, it loses its ability to absorb water through its trunk and needles. As a result, the tree begins to dry out and drop its needles, leading to a big mess you have to vacuum to clean up, says Bert Cregg, professor of horticulture and forestry at Michigan State University. The dryness also makes the Christmas tree a fire risk when near any heat sources.

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Where to Place Your Tree Instead

Ideal locations for your tree are cool areas away from any warm air vents, radiators, fireplaces, or bright south-facing windows. For safety and aesthetics, place your tree against an interior wall, and maintain a room temperature between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit to slow the drying process so your tree can thrive, recommends Linda Langelo, a horticulture specialist at Colorado State University.

"Placement should also harmonize with the home. Avoid placing in areas that impede foot traffic, block views or architectural features, or alternatively, are out of sight (and out of mind) in lesser visited areas of the home where they may be neglected," said Damon Abdi, of the Hammond Research Station at Louisiana State University's agricultural center.

How to Keep Your Tree Thriving

Experts share their best tips to keep your Christmas tree thriving all season long:

• "When you bring the tree home, cut an inch or so off the base of the tree before placing it in a stand with water," says Cregg. "This will improve the ability of the tree stem to take up water."
• Check the water level daily to ensure the tree is drinking. An 8-foot tree can absorb up to a gallon of water per day, according to Emmerich. If you notice that the tree isn't drinking, take the tree down and give it another fresh cut to expose the conductive tissue under the bark of the tree.
• Avoid adding any chemicals to the water—plain tap water is best for tree hydration. There is no advantage to water additives such as aspirin, sugar, floral preservatives, or soda pop, says Langelo and Cregg. Adding sugar can promote mold and bacteria growth and clog the pathway that transports water and nutrients from the stump to the branches and needles of the tree.
• Mist the tree with a spray bottle periodically to maintain humidity. This also prevents the needles from drying out and dropping, says Langelo.