Where to find live Christmas trees on Cape Cod, from Provincetown to Sandwich
Everyone loves a Cape summer, but far fewer have experienced the warmth that is Christmas on Cape Cod. We took a cross-Cape road trip to help you find a tree worth gathering around — whether you’re a lifelong resident or a visiting merry-maker.
Here's a list of places to buy pre-cut, live Christmas trees on Cape Cod.
BREWSTER
Address: 1132 Route 137, Brewster
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day
Visit this high-quality nursery and garden store — also a great place to gift-shop for green thumbers — for Fraser firs farmed in northern New Hampshire, near the Canadian border. Owner David Crocker opened the peaceful place — situated on over five acres where a majority of the shrubs, annuals and perennials are grown — almost 50 years ago. Here, Christmas trees are displayed as they would be in your home, standing straight up so their branches can unfold to reveal the tree’s shape. While the evergreen might be the star of the Christmas show, you won’t be able to look away from rows and rows of technicolor poinsettias.
DENNIS
Address: 458 Main Street (Route 6A), Dennis
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
This special farm — established in 2006 by a nonprofit that provides homes, transportation, social and therapeutic services for people with disabilities across Cape Cod — has Balsam and Fraser firs from Canada ranging in price from roughly $35 to more than $300 for a 14-footer. Buying a tree here means giving to programs that help Cape residents build a fulfilling life and strong community. Thanks to the law office of John C. Manoog III, Christmas tree sales will be matched with a donation that doubles your impact. Stop into the gift shop while you’re there.
EASTHAM
The Little Capistrano Bike Shop
Address: 30 Salt Pond Road, Eastham
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
Josh Ayala has been converting bicycle racks into Christmas tree stands at this cheerful bike shop founded by his grandfather for over a decade. This year, the Balsam firs, which start at $79, come from Nova Scotia. Stop by this community gathering spot to enjoy the heat from the fire Ayala keeps roaring, and the Christmas classics this hometown musician plays from overhead speakers — often his son’s favorites.
Address: 535 Route 6, Eastham
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
“I’ve been doing it longer than anybody,” said Log Cabin Farm owner Jeff Putnam, who started slinging trees for the family business since he was 5 years old. This conveniently located and picturesque roadside spot has a huge selection of Balsam firs, sourced from the same farm in Nova Scotia for 50 years. Charlie Browns, as Putnam described them, cost under $20, and the rest are $40 and up.
ORLEANS
Address: 20 Lots Hollow Road, Orleans
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.
This expansive agricultural and garden supply store has friendly and knowledgeable staff and three varieties of Christmas trees — Balsam, Fraser and Cook firs — from Quebec. There are roughly 1,000 trees in the cheery and organized back lot so you’re sure to find the size and shape you want. Prices range from roughly $50 to $300 for a staggering 16-footer. Lots of greenery and garlands of all types are available, too.
PROVINCETOWN
Address: 337 Commercial Street, Provincetown
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday,
For a utilitarian and affordable option, after a wassail visit Lands End Marine Supply on Commercial Street — one of the best spots for gift-shopping on Cape Cod. “Every size, every shape” of tree — top-quality and fresh from Nova Scotia — costs $54.99, staff said.
Address: 21 Conwell Street, Provincetown
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
If Blue Spruce is your style, head over to Conwell Home Center — the only spot we visited with a few of the poky but pretty Christmas trees left. There are also plenty of Balsam firs in stock, with tree prices ranging from around $30 for a four-footer to around $100 for a 12-footer. The staff, all of them jolly on a recent visit, say they’ve worked with the same family-owned tree farm in northern New Hampshire — as north as you can get in New Hampshire, we’re told — for more than 30 years.
SANDWICH
Address: 349 Route 6A, East Sandwich
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
This family-owned and operated business in a beautiful slice of Sandwich offers a wide selection of Balsam and Fraser firs from Quebec, as well as plenty of wreaths, roping and cuttings. Tree prices range from around $80 to around $250. Inside, the shop has the bows that will set your wreath apart, as well as locally sourced gifts and treats, including honey. It must be a good place to make merry — Santa himself will visit from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2.
TRURO
Address: 250 Route 6, Truro
Hours: Check the website for current hours
This serene garden center has been owned and operated by the same family since 1977. It is now run by sisters Natalie Van Staden and Brittany Souza. While the stunningly curated space boasts a wide selection of Canadian Balsam and Fraser firs ranging in price from $45 to $250, there’s a limited supply of wreaths designed by Van Staden and Souza’s mother, a florist, using local cuttings including white pine, winterberry and juniper foraged by their father, so get them while you can.
YARMOUTH
Address:1085 Route 28, South Yarmouth
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
If you want to know more about Christmas trees, visit the Green Spot Garden Center and ask for owner Jim Behnke. The garden center, family-owned for more than 50 years, has a wide selection of Canadian Balsam and Fraser firs — two New England Christmas classics — that range in price from roughly $40 to roughly $170. The Green Spot only sells premium-grade trees, which means they were judged to have no flaws — no bad angles here. If you are looking for fragrance, Behnke said, go for Balsam. If sturdy branches and needle retention are your concern, Fraser’s for you.
Do you have a favorite Christmas tree spot that didn’t make the list? Get in touch, as we plan to update this list.
Jeannette Hinkle is a reporter for the Cape Cod Times. Reach her at jhinkle@capecodonline.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Where to find live Christmas trees on Cape Cod
