The short answer
These are the trees the South actually grows, because a Fraser fir cannot survive a Gulf Coast summer. The choice between them comes down to one thing: Virginia pine has the strong branches and the pine smell; Leyland and Murray cypress have almost no scent and produce no pollen or sap at all. If you hang heavy ornaments, take the pine. If someone in the house reacts to Christmas trees, take the cypress.
If you came here looking for a 7½ ft pre-lit tree — “Virginia Pine” is also the name of an artificial tree sold by Target and Sam’s Club, which is what most searches for the phrase turn up. This page is about the real tree of that name, which you can cut yourself on a farm an hour from Houston.
| Virginia pine | Leyland cypress | Murray cypress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A true pine — Pinus virginiana, native to the South | A hybrid conifer, neither pine nor fir | A cultivar of Leyland cypress |
| Needles | 1½ to 3 inches, in twisted pairs | Soft, feathery, dark green-grey sprays | Identical to Leyland to the eye |
| Branches | Stout and woody — rated strong, good for heavy ornaments | Rated 2 out of 5 for firmness | Stronger branching than Leyland, growers say |
| Scent | A pleasant pine scent | Very little aroma | A light lemon-mint aroma |
| Pollen and sap | A pine — produces both | No pollen and no sap | No pollen and no sap |
| Needle holding | Clusters held 3 to 4 years on the tree | Rated 4 out of 5; drops very few needles | Same as Leyland |
| Years to harvest | 4 to 6 | 3 to 6 | Faster than Leyland |
| Where it grows | Natural range to Georgia and Alabama; bred to extend into east Texas | All southern states — the Southeast’s most popular tree | Same, with better tolerance of damp ground |
| Cut one in Texas? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The allergy question, carefully
This is the one real advantage the cypresses have, and it is worth stating precisely rather than loosely. Leyland cypress is a hybrid that is neither a pine nor a fir: the South Carolina growers’ association says it produces no pollen, and because it makes no sap it is recommended for people who react to that. Murray cypress, being a Leyland cultivar, is the same on both counts.
Two of our own Texas farms say the same thing in their own words. Spring Creek Growers calls the Leyland cypress “the allergen-friendly one”, and the Old Time Christmas Tree Farm says cypress “is the one for anyone sensitive to scent”.
What that does not mean is that any real tree is medically hypoallergenic. The usual trigger is mould that grows on a tree standing warm and damp in a living room for three weeks, and that can happen to any species. No pollen and no sap removes two causes, not all of them. If someone in the house reacts badly, a cypress is the better bet — but hose the tree down and let it dry before it comes indoors, whatever it is.
Why Texas grows these and not firs
Altitude and heat. A Fraser fir grows naturally above 4,500 ft in the southern Appalachians and NC State Extension tells growers not to plant it below 3,000 ft even in North Carolina. Texas has neither the height nor the cool summers, so a fir is not an option in the ground.
What does work is a pine bred for the job and a hybrid that likes warmth. Virginia pine’s natural range stops around Georgia and Alabama, but breeding programmes extended it into east Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Leyland cypress grows across every southern state and is the best-selling Christmas tree in the Southeast.
The other half of the reason is time. Virginia pine is ready in four to six years and Leyland cypress in three to six, against seven to ten for a Fraser fir. A grower near Houston turns a crop around in half the time, which is part of why a cut-your-own tree in Texas costs less than a fir trucked down from the mountains.
Which Houston farms grow which
- Both, with a published price listSpring Creek Growers in Magnolia grows Virginia pine and Leyland cypress and prices them separately: the pine is $82 at 6 ft, $145 at 9 ft and $319 at 13 ft; the cypress is $86 at 6 ft, $152 at 9 ft and $282 at 12 ft. The pine is the cheaper of the two at every height they list.
- Both, cut with a lent sawThe Old Time Christmas Tree Farm in Spring, the closest to the city, lets you cut either pine or cypress from 6 ft up. Trees start at $85 for 5 ft and there are pre-cut firs as well, trucked in from North Carolina.
- Murray cypressDewberry Farm in Brookshire grows Murray cypress — the Leyland cultivar with the stronger branches and the faint lemon-mint scent.
- Virginia pineHoliday Acres in Manvel grows Virginia pine.
All six Houston farms and their 2026 dates are on the Houston Christmas tree page.
So which should you cut?
- Heavy or glass ornaments → Virginia pineIts branches are described as stout and woody and rated strong enough for heavy decorations. Leyland cypress is rated 2 out of 5 for branch firmness, which is the one place it is genuinely weaker.
- Allergies or someone who hates the smell → Leyland or Murray cypressNo pollen, no sap, very little aroma. This is the reason the farms themselves recommend it.
- You want the tree to smell of Christmas → Virginia pineA proper pine scent. The cypresses barely smell of anything, and Murray only faintly of lemon and mint.
- You put the tree up early → cypress, kept wetLeyland is rated 4 out of 5 for needle holding and drops very few. But NC State Extension warns that cypress dries out after cutting, so it depends on the stand never running empty.
- Cheapest at the farm gate → Virginia pineAt Spring Creek it undercuts the cypress at every height on the list.
Southern Christmas tree questions
Is a Virginia pine a good Christmas tree?
Yes, and it is one of the most widely grown Christmas trees in the South. Its branches are stout and woody, which makes it one of the better trees for heavy ornaments, it holds its needle clusters for three to four years on the tree, and it has a proper pine scent. Its one weakness is that it needs good soil and regular shearing to look its best — NC State Extension notes it has poor form and colour on thin ground — which is why farm-grown ones are sheared every summer.
Why does searching “Virginia pine Christmas tree” show artificial trees?
Because “Virginia Pine” is also the model name of an artificial tree sold by Target and Sam’s Club, and those product pages dominate the search. If you want the real thing, it is a genuine species, Pinus virginiana, and you can cut one yourself at several farms within an hour of Houston.
Is Leyland cypress hypoallergenic?
It produces no pollen and no sap, according to the South Carolina growers’ association, which removes two common triggers — and that is why Texas farms recommend it to customers who react to other trees. But no real tree is truly hypoallergenic: the usual culprit is mould growing on a tree that stands warm and damp indoors for weeks, and that can happen to any species. Rinse the tree and let it dry before bringing it in.
What is the difference between Leyland and Murray cypress?
Murray is a cultivar of Leyland, and to a customer standing in the field they look identical. The differences matter to the grower: Murray has better disease resistance, grows faster, tolerates damper ground and has a stronger root system and stronger branching. The one thing you might notice is scent — Leyland has very little aroma, while Murray is described as faintly lemon and mint.
Which lasts longer, Virginia pine or Leyland cypress?
Leyland cypress is rated 4 out of 5 for needle holding and is said to drop very few needles, which is better than most. The catch is that NC State Extension warns cypress dries out after cutting, so it is entirely dependent on the stand never running dry. Virginia pine holds its needle clusters for three to four years on the tree. In practice, with either species, how fresh it was when you got it and how well you water it matter more than the species.
Can you grow a Fraser fir in Texas?
No. Fraser fir grows naturally above 4,500 ft in the southern Appalachians, and NC State Extension advises against planting it below 3,000 ft even in North Carolina. Texas has neither the altitude nor the cool summers. Any Fraser fir on sale in Texas was cut in the North Carolina mountains and driven down — which is fine, but it is not a fresh tree. We compare the species in Fraser fir vs Douglas fir vs balsam fir.
How much does a Virginia pine or Leyland cypress cost?
At Spring Creek Growers in Magnolia, the only Houston farm with a full 2026 list up, a Virginia pine is $82 at 6 ft, $145 at 9 ft and $319 at 13 ft; a Leyland cypress is $86 at 6 ft, $152 at 9 ft and $282 at 12 ft. The Old Time Christmas Tree Farm in Spring starts at $85 for a 5 ft tree. Every price list we hold, across both states, is on what a Christmas tree costs.
Where these figures come from
The species facts come from the National Christmas Tree Association, NC State University’s extension service and the South Carolina Christmas Tree Association, all read on 14 Oct 2026. The prices and the farms’ own remarks about scent and allergies come from the farms themselves, by way of our Houston page.
Spot something out of date? Say so and it gets fixed.
Also on pickinghours
- Virginia pine vs Leyland cypressyou are here
- Types of Christmas treesall of them, family by family
- Fraser fir vs Douglas fir vs balsamthe northern firs
- What a tree costsreal 2026 price lists
- Which tree smells bestscent, species by species
- Getting it hometying it to the car
- Disposal and recyclingwhere to take it afterwards
- When to put it upand when to take it down
- How long a tree lastsand how to keep it
- Houston, Texas11 farms
- Texaspine and cypress, five metros
- North CarolinaFraser fir country
- PennsylvaniaLancaster and York
- New JerseyNorth, Central and South Jersey
- WashingtonSeattle to Spokane
- OregonPortland, Salem, Eugene
- MichiganGrand Rapids to Ann Arbor
- VirginiaNorthern Virginia and Richmond