| Balsam fir is used to make Christmas wreaths | | | | top quality wreath if you don’t have |
| and Christmas centerpieces in Maine because | | | | top quality balsam tips to start with. The |
| it is plentiful and makes beautifully | | | | tips should have needles on all sides of the |
| fragrant wreaths. The tips of the branches | | | | tip’s stems appearing rounded. They |
| are used which is the end portion. The tips | | | | should be a dark green color. They also |
| are cut in lengths from 12 to 20 inches. One | | | | should be free of any sign of insect damage. |
| tip is normally broken into two or three | | | | |
| pieces, bunched together and then wired onto | | | | The best quality tips come from the middle of |
| the wreath ring. | | | | the tree. The branches on the top of the |
| | | | trees oftentimes have long stems and the |
| Gathering the balsam tips is called tipping. | | | | bottom branches usually only have needles on |
| Tipping can’t start until late fall | | | | one side. Naturally, wreath producers |
| after the needles are set which is normally | | | | purchasing tips are looking for the deep |
| after the first few frosts. After the needles | | | | green, rounded tips that come from the middle |
| are set the balsam fir tree will stop | | | | of the trees. |
| growing, staying dormant, until spring. The | | | | |
| pores in the needles are sealed by a waxy | | | | After cutting the tips are stacked on a stick |
| coating that covers the needle’s | | | | in alternate directions until the stick |
| surface. If tips are gathered before setting | | | | weighs between 50 and 75 lbs. with twine |
| the needles fall off in a short time and | | | | attached to the ends for carrying. They are |
| can’t be used. In Maine, balsam brush | | | | then taken to be sold to the local wreath |
| shouldn’t be collected until after | | | | producers. The tips are sold according to |
| November 1 with a minimum of three | | | | their weight. |
| consecutive 20 degree or colder nights. | | | | |
| | | | Global warming may have an adverse effect on |
| To gather tips on privately owned forests the | | | | the Christmas wreath industry in Maine if it |
| tippers have to get permission. Large | | | | continues as predicted. As the fall gets |
| corporations issue permits with fees for | | | | warmer and warmer it’s possible that we |
| their property. Most wreath producers are | | | | won’t have the needed frost to set the |
| very particular about the quality of the tips | | | | needles on the balsam fir trees until |
| they purchase. It’s hard to produce a | | | | it’s too late for the Christmas season. |