Over the past few weeks, Pottery Barn fans have taken to Twitter, Facebook and the blog to inquire about the type of trees used in this year’s holiday catalog. To answer your questions, we went straight to the source. Silvertip Tree Farm, located outside of Yosemite National Park in California, provided the trees for the holiday catalog. Gena, who runs the farm along with her husband, Jim, graciously shared some background on the trees. If you’re interested in purchasing a tree, you can visit Silvertip Tree Farm’s local tree stand in North Fork, CA, or order a tree online — Silvertip Tree Farm delivers to all 50 states.

How did you get connected with Pottery Barn for the holiday catalog?

“We received a phone call from your senior art director, who wanted wanted 10- 12 foot trees for your catalog shoot. It was very exciting to be asked to supply the Christmas trees for the Pottery Barn catalog. It was a wonderful experience to work with [your team] to pick out the perfect trees.”

What was it like to cut Christmas trees in June for the Pottery Barn catalog shoot? 

“Cutting tree in June gets us in the Christmas spirit for the rest of the year. We are getting used to it; a lot of folks are planning Christmas year around. We have delivered somewhat wilted trees in July to hot Las Vegas for a Christmas demo, we provided trees for another catalog shoot, for Christmas commercials and for the Brothers and Sisters  TV show. . . Your catalog shoot was the most exciting and we really wanted you to be happy with the trees. We were very happy to hear how pleased [you and your customers] were.”

Can you tell us a little about why it was important to you to become a sustainable tree farm?

“I’m very proud of the fact we are a certified Family Forest with the American Tree Farm Systems. I consider myself a conservationist and believe in the wise usage of our natural resource. It comes from my upbringing. This area we live in is my ancestral home, home of the North Fork Mono [Tribe]. My grandfather instilled values of conservation that he was raised by, but also the fact that we can utilize our resources and still improve the property.”

Why do you think silvertips are such great trees?

“Silvertips are a beautiful ornament tree [that can] stand out on its own with its natural beauty and only a few special ornaments. They are very hardy and a slow growing tree that grows at high elevation of the Sierra Nevada and lower Cascade Range. They have sturdy limbs for heavy ornaments. I love the silvery tips, which appear after a cold frost. John Muir gave the California Red fir the name Silvertip because its new growth turns silver after it gets very cold.”

Do you have any great tips for making your Christmas tree last longer?

“Watering your tree is the most important thing you need to do to preserve your tree through the holiday season. We cut our trees and then immediately put them in water the very same day, this helps to keep them fresh.”


What tree from the Pottery Barn holiday catalog is your favorite?

“My favorite Pottery Barn Christmas trees are the Arctic and the Jewel! [I love] the Arctic tree with the little white owls, and the Jewel tree is so beautiful — it reminds me of when I was a child, with all the colorful ornaments.”

Interested in ordering a tree? Order a tree or wreath from Silvertip Tree Farm today! Or, if you need a little more background on finding that perfect tree, check out our tips.