Cones are a Great Addition to Holiday Decorations

Cones are the seeds of conifer plants that keep their needles all year. All conifers have seed-bearing cones. Although many people call all cones “pinecones,” pine cones are only on pine trees. Other types include hemlock cones, spruce cones, fir cones, and cypress cones.

White pine (left), Red pine (upper right),
Blue spruce (lower right)

The most used cone is a pinecone. Mature cones on an eastern white pine are six to eight inches long by 2 inches wide. They are light brown with white tips on each cone scale. In the east, these cones sometimes grow much larger and are sold as giant eastern white pinecones.

The true giant cones typically come from Florida. Some of these mammoth beauties are up to 11 inches long and 16 inches around the base.  They come in random colors of brown, gray or red and some have green tips.

Some of the smallest – and cutest – cones come from hemlock trees. Hemlock cones are ½ inch around and come in chestnut brown to a dark brown/grayish color. Hemlock cones are beautiful, sturdy little cones that some people say look like a little rose.

For a small round pinecone, use those from the Scots pine (also called scotch pine).  These are one to two inches tall by one inch in diameter. Pinecones’ colors vary from blonde to brown with red or gray tints. Scots cones have a small pyramid prickle and a rounded bottom. Even smaller are the cones from a mugo pine that are only one inch by one inch when mature.

For a longer, cigar-shaped cone use a Spruce tree. The Norway spruce produces the largest spruce cone at three to six inches long. The Colorado blue spruce cone is two to four inches long and has a softer, lighter appearance.

If you prefer a fancy cone, try the Douglas fir cone. The Douglas fir is not a true fir but is a relative of the hemlock family. The Douglas fir cones are 2-4 inches long and are very lightweight, with delicate, papery scales that also have distinctive 3-pointed bracts resembling the tail and hind feet of a mouse.  The color of Douglas fir cones ranges from a gray brown to rust.

What decorations do you make with cones each holiday?