The Brno Christmas tree for 2025 will be a silver fir tree, donated to the city by Mendel University’s Masaryk Forest School Enterprise Křtiny (ŠLP Křtiny), which manages the university forests. As is traditional, it will be transported to the city on 15 November from the Bystrouška fox-hunting lodge in a horse-drawn carriage. Foresters estimate the 20-metre fir tree to be 80 years old. Mendel University is donating the tree via the Czech Red Cross.
The tree, selected together with representatives of TIC Brno, the organizer of Brno Christmas, has been growing for decades in the Habrůvka forest area of ŠLP Křtiny. It is 20 metres tall, with a diameter of 40 centimetres at breast height (130 centimetres above ground).
“It is a beautiful tree, evenly grown in all directions, which is not entirely usual in the forest, because trees in the forest are often shaded from one side by one of their neighbors, and then there are simply no branches. In the case of this fir, it was successful,” said Petra Packová from ŠLP Křtiny.
The staff of ŠLP Křtiny estimate the age of the fir to be approximately 80 years. This will be confirmed when the tree is cut down, when they will be able to count the growth rings and determine the exact age.
Felling, loading, and transporting the tree is a technically demanding operation. A crane must secure the tree about five metres from the top, and hold it still in a vertical position throughout the harvesting process, so it does not fall to the ground without control, which would destroy the tree and break its branches.
“The tree grasped in this way needs to be shortened to a height of 12 meters so that it can be transported on a cart,” explained Packová. “Finally, all branches must be carefully tied down, so that we do not break them on the journey or endanger passing cars during the transport. A truck will transport the tree to the Bystroušky Fox Hunting Lodge in the Bílovice Forest, where we will say goodbye to it on 15 November and send it on its way to Brno.”
Historically, fir trees were relatively abundant in domestic forests. In the 19th century, due to the industrial revolution and deteriorating air quality, it began to disappear from forests. ŠLP Křtiny is trying to increase the presence of silver fir in university forests.
“For example, in Klepačov there are beautiful fir forests that are worth visiting,” said Packová. “It is interesting that fir can grow for many years in the shade, and when you release it, it suddenly starts to grow very quickly. Fir, together with yew, is among our most shade-loving tree species.”
The silver fir is an interesting tree for other reasons. “You can easily recognize a silver fir branch,” said Packová. “It has flat needles, and on the other side you can see two white strips of stomata, which are easily recognizable. I recommend crushing the needle between your fingers. You will smell a wonderful citrus scent.”
The Christmas tree will be illuminated on Náměstí Svobody on Friday, 21 November, at 5pm.
As well as the city’s main Christmas tree on Náměstí Svobody, ŠLP Křtiny has been supplying Christmas trees to households for many years. They will again be available for sale this year over the weekend of 13-14 December at one of the enterprise’s three forest areas. Since 2024, ŠLP Křtiny has also been part of the ‘Christmas Fir Trees in a Pot’ project, organized by the Veronica Foundation. Fir trees purchased in winter can be returned to the MENDELU forests in the spring of the following year.
