After all, both belong to the conifer family. And the trees' shared natural habitat is confusing too. Nevertheless, there are still significant differences between them. Let us sort them out.
Needles and branches
The pine has wide, long branches, and because the bark exudes a lot of resin, the tree itself looks less dense. The fir is denser and, so to speak, more compact, with neater, shorter branches. Pine needles are prickly and stiff and shed quickly, whereas the fir's needles are soft and flat, and so they do not prick.
The spruce has shorter, sparser branches, with visible gaps. The spruce's needles resemble those of the fir, but they are much stiffer and you can prick yourself badly on them.
Unlike pine, fir does not have a powerful root system. Nor does it reach as high toward the sky as its coniferous rival. Amusingly, the cones on a fir's branches point upward like little turrets. Its seeds have wings and can scatter across the ground within a radius of a kilometre.
The bark of the Siberian pine is much thicker than that of the fir. And there is an advantage in this. It is known that the lower branches of the fir almost touch the ground. And this conifer seems to hide in dense shade. Unfortunately, the fir's thin bark, with dry branches at the bottom and saturated with resin, burns like gunpowder. And forest fires in the places where it grows are a real disaster.
So the fir surpasses both the pine and the spruce in density.
The Siberian pine, in contrast to the fir, is a hardier conifer. It is not afraid of harsh frosts or drought. The fir, on the other hand, requires constant moisture and good soil. If you want the tree to last longer, put it in a bucket of water. But bear in mind that this is not entirely safe – a bucket of water can tip over.
Scent
The pine undoubtedly leads. Its aroma fills the apartment and saturates it with a pre-New-Year atmosphere, whereas the fir has a light, less pronounced coniferous scent. The spruce's aroma is even weaker than the fir's.
Useful tip
After buying it, do not rush to bring the little tree from the cold into a warm apartment. Let it acclimatize a little and leave it for 20 minutes in the stairwell, on the balcony or in the hallway.
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Important!
If you have small children at home, it is better to choose a fir. Its needles are soft and gentle, so the little ones will not prick themselves.
By the way
It should be said that there are several varieties of pine in nature. In the Mediterranean countries it is customarily called the stone pine. And the large nuts of this conifer have become a favourite addition to confectionery treats. And in the mountains of central China grows a pine with completely white bark. Since time immemorial it has served as a beautiful living decoration for temples and palaces.
The balsam fir, which dwells in the forests of North America, is also unique and possesses many beneficial qualities. A healing balsam is made from its resin, and its fragrant needles are used to make perfume and soap.
And finally, it is worth saying that any carpenter can tell fir from pine by smell. The former has a faint sourish odour, while the latter gives off a rich aroma of resin.
