Artificial PE Christmas Trees
Julie Parker
My interest in gardening & wildlife stemmed from childhood days spent working in the garden with my parents & reading books on anything from robins to giraffes. As time has moved on these influences have stayed with me inspiring the creation my own garden & leading to interests in fish keeping & the natural world around me. I still love to read & hope that the knowledge I gain will make topical reading through these articles.

Best Artificial PE Christmas Trees

When you invest in a Christmas tree you need to bear in mind that it should last you about 15 years. This means that it needs to be able to stand the strain of being packed, stored & unpacked 15 times & still look at its best. So purchasing a good quality tree that will maintain its appearance over 15 years will make the cost a worthwhile investment. Having attended many Christmas trade fairs we must also point out that there is a difference between the standard of PE trees & PVC trees from one company to another. We only stock the best quality PE & PVC trees so you know that you can choose a tree from us with confidence.

It might seem obvious, but before you buy your tree you need to know the options of where you might put it. You may want to have a change of location occasionally so you need to have some idea of the dimensions of those spaces and know that you are within reach of an electrical socket. Most ceilings are about 8ft high but hallways and conservatories may allow you to choose a taller tree. You also need to consider the tree’s width and the amount of floor space available in the spot that you want the tree to sit. If you are siting your tree in a corner or against a wall & just need a little more space at the base of the tree you can always push one or two of the hinged branches back up into the centre of the tree where nobody can see them. This is more difficult with a pre-lit tree because of the wires to the lights but these could be worked back along the branch to make it easier. Nowadays, you can get slim versions of some trees like our Bayberry Spruce and even pencil slim trees which take up even less space. Whichever tree you buy don’t forget room for the angel on top!

Tree design is also an important consideration, especially if like me you have to fit your tree decoration into a couple of hours in the evening. In general, branch construction in Artificial Christmas Trees falls into two major categories according to whether the branches are attached to the trunk or not.

  • Hooked trees. Each branch needs to be hooked into a bracket that is attached to the tree's trunk. This method is the cheapest to produce but will take you longer to set up and you will have to put the Christmas lights on each year. *We no longer sell artificial Christmas trees with this method of construction*
  • Hinged trees. All the branches are permanently attached to the tree trunk with hinges; the branches just simply fold down into the correct position making it quick and easy to assemble. Often you will be able to position the Christmas lights permanently to avoid removing them each year.

If you are looking for tips on how to shape your trees like the professionals then have a look at this video demonstration. You should end up with a tree with evenly spaced branches and ready to decorate. To keep your tree looking good year after year store it in a storage bag to avoid damage by dust and insects; it probably will not fit back into its original box and if you want less work reshaping your tree the following year it is best not to try and force it.

New PE Artificial Christmas Trees

Bayberry Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree

The biggest development in recent years is the material and method used to create the Christmas tree needles. Until now, most artificial Christmas tree needles were made of Poly Vinyl Chloride or PVC which was pressed into thin sheets then cut into fine needle like strands. These strands were twisted between two strands of wire to form the tree branches. These needles still have a flat appearance and are easily discernable as fake close up. Cheaper trees would just have the branch ends cut off square but a more expensive tree would have rounded or sculptured branch tips making it look much nicer and more natural.

However, the newest Christmas trees on the market today are the Feel-Real PE trees. Intricate moulds are made using real tree branches from different species of conifer then Poly Ethylene is used in an injected moulding system to form realistic branches and needles. These moulded polymer needles have the thickness and density of a real tree branch for a more realistic look as opposed to the flat needles on the PVC Christmas trees. You'd have to get very close to see that the PE Christmas tree is not real. Also, because the needles are three-dimensional rather than flat, a wider variety of styles can be created with realistic looks. There are also countless colours and textures available to choose from with Poly Ethylene giving you a wider choice. Some trees may use a combination of PE and PVC to make the tree look fuller towards the trunk. It should not be assumed that the inclusion of PVC needles means a lower quality or less realistic tree. In fact, these mixed branches often create a very full, authentic look that is often better than a tree that is all PE.

Weeping Spruce Artificial Christmas Tree

We have a wide selection of PE trees as they are so popular & they range in size from 3ft to 12ft with new ranges & sizes introduced each year. The selection of trees includes standard Christmas trees, pre-lit trees, frosted trees & decorated trees. There is also a pencil Bayberry Spruce less than 3ft wide for those awkward spaces. The pre-lit PE (Poly Ethylene) trees are the simplest and quickest trees to set up. Just let the branches fold down and bend out the PE branches to separate and arrange them a little. They will need tweaking if you want them to hide the centre of the tree & look evenly spaced. All our pre-lit trees come with long life, energy efficient LED lights. Most of these have replaceable bulbs in case of breakages & spares are included. A much more cost effective & safer way to enjoy your Christmas!

If you want to compare the trees we have in stock take a look at our article on Choosing Your Artificial Christmas Tree which shows you a closeup image of each tree & a gives you a bit more information.

All you need is to decorate your tree, switch on the lights and sit back and relax!