As the holiday season approaches, many families are preparing to pick out their Christmas trees. We spoke to Dr. Chris Hardy, professor of biology and curator of the herbarium at Millersville University. He talked about selecting and caring for the perfect tree.

Despite the heat and drought this summer and in recent months, Hardy says late-season dryness shouldn't impact Christmas trees. "Our late-season drought should have no effect on trees because the trees were not growing much anyway at that point," meaning they remained resilient to the harsh weather conditions.

What's the best-smelling tree? "Most conifers smell nice, so people generally choose a tree based on size and looks," says Hardy. "However, five fir species - Balsam, Canaan, Douglas, Fraser and Concolor - are generally known for smelling nice."

Having a tree that retains its needles after being decorated means less mess in the house. "Firs are the champions of needle retention, with Fraser and Canaan firs leading the pack," says Hardy. "On the other hand, spruce trees, while beautiful, are known to shed needles more quickly once cut."

Freshness Matters. Hardy recommends cutting your own tree or checking pre-cut trees carefully. "We cut our own tree in my family because it's fun. An added benefit is that our tree is fresh that way," says Hardy. "If buying a pre-cut tree, shake the tree and run your hand along the branches - the needles should not readily fall off if it was cut recently. Buy your tree early and stick the trunk in a bucket of water, upright on the back porch to keep it hydrated until you plan to bring it in. That's better than having it sit dry at the pre-cut Christmas tree lot."

Once indoors, keeping your tree hydrated is essential. A freshly cut Christmas tree may consume a significant amount of water in the first week, so check and refill the water daily. Skip the additives-plain water is all your tree needs. "The National Christmas Tree Association says the best thing for your tree is good ole water," says Hardy. "Additives such as sugar, bleach and aspirin do not work, do not prolong the life of a tree and can actually have a variety of negative outcomes for the tree. For example, sugar would encourage the growth of fungus and mold and cause your tree to look and smell bad."

For families who have young children Hardy says while blue spruce or Norway spruce are beautiful trees that were once the favorite trees of choice among Americans, they can be rather prickly. "The Blue spruce is especially prickly and could discourage young kids from wanting to help decorate," says Hardy. "As for pets, I'm not sure but perhaps a prickly spruce may be a good deterrent to a pet from playing with the tree."

Happy tree hunting!