Fortunately, I finally stopped to inspect the label of one of these trees and saw that it included a warning: "Will grow to 70 feet tall." I still saw many being purchased, but they will hopefully go to good homes where they will eventually be planted in situations conducive to their natural development.

Most coniferous trees that become disproportionately large for their space seem to have once been living Christmas trees. When I inspect these trees to assess the necessity for removal, the clients are always so amazed that a once so innocent live Christmas tree can grow up to cause so much damage and be so difficult to get rid of.

They require removal permits just like any other trees. I once inspected an urban residence that had eight Italian stone pines, which incidentally are the same as the two very large specimens in Blaney Plaza in downtown Saratoga. Just one would have been too many.

Italian stone pine and Canary Island pine are two of the most popular small live Christmas trees, because their juvenile foliage is finely textured. Aleppo pine, Eldarica pine, Monterey pine and coastal redwood are marketed as larger live Christmas trees. After Christmas, any of these would be suitable in an appropriate situation with plenty of space for a large tree. However, they all too often are planted in small gardens that cannot accommodate them.

Live Christmas trees can be grown in containers and brought back indoors during Christmas for at least a few years, but would be happier with a larger container after the first winter and occasional shearing and root pruning as necessary to restrict size. Such techniques are employed to maintain bonsai specimens, which may be happy in a container for centuries.

Species that are naturally small when mature or grow slowly are, of course, more appropriate live Christmas trees. Dwarf Alberta spruce, for example, grows so slowly that it may be a proportionate live Christmas tree for many years even without shearing. The Elwood cypress, which is an ideal live Christmas tree from the American Northwest, can be an appealing evergreen arborvitae substitute after Christmas, but is known as "Eurotree" this year.

Who formulates these marketing schemes anyway?

With the exception of synthetic trees, cut Christmas trees require the least maintenance after Christmas and will not grow up to cause problems later, because they are simply recycled. The expense of replacement every year might seem more practical when compared to the attention and resources that live trees require. Tree-huggers who object to cutting of live trees should be aware that Christmas trees are grown on plantations or farms, like any other vegetable or horticultural crop.

Cutting such a tree or buying one that has already been cut is no worse than eating broccoli or wearing cotton.

Flower of the Week: Pincushion flower

Perennial pincushion flower (Scabiosa genus) begins blooming somewhat late, such as June or July, but continues until frost. Flowers may be white or bluish lavender.

Flowers of Scabiosa columbaria may also be pink and those of Scabiosa caucasica may be blue. Individual "flowers" may be as wide as three inches, but are actually floral clusters composed of much smaller florets.

These floral clusters resemble pincushions because stamens of the individual florets protrude above other floral parts.

Foliage of most varieties is somewhat grayish and finely textured. Mature plants may be taller than two feet. Pincushion flower is not difficult to grow, but prefers sunny exposure.

Regular deadheading (removal of spent blooms) promotes continued profusion of bloom. Although it is now past their expected blooming season, some pincushion flower is still in bloom, and blooming specimens may even be found in some nurseries.

They won't be blooming much longer, but should resume next summer.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408-358-2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.