‘Tis the season to pick out a Christmas tree.

Tree buyers now can choose from artificial, pre-cut or fresh-cut trees for the holiday season.

“We … sell artificial trees, from sapling style, to fir, to a talking christmas tree and to our new fiber optic Christmas tree — its branches change color,” said Ryan Meyers, assistant manager at Target, 620 Lincoln Way.

Meyers said Target imports artificial trees from China and Taiwan, and the store keeps the reusable, nonallergenic trees for sale until the day after Christmas.

“They are becoming easier to set up and take down,” he said. “Now, instead of color coding the branches to the notches in the trunk, people can just bend the branches.”

Many discount stores, plant nurseries and other businesses sell pre-cut fresh trees. Another way to purchase a real Christmas tree is by visiting a tree farm.

Strautman Tree Farm near Cambridge, about 10 minutes south of Ames, is owned by Iowa State alumnus Tom Hasty and his wife, Rhonda.

Rhonda Hasty said three varieties of pine and fir are sold on the farm. The pine group includes the Scotch, red and white. The fir group includes fraser, batsam and cancan.

“These are fresh, fragrant and are Iowa-grown products,” she said. “If people buy trees already pre-cut at a store, the needles will not retain as long, and people miss out on the tradition of coming to a tree farm and having a good time.”

Hasty gave several advantages of real trees over artificial.

“Real trees [are better] for the environment because they are biodegradable, provide a habitat for wildlife, and one acre provides enough oxygen for 18 people, as it cleans and purifies the air we breathe,” Hasty said.

She said artificial trees last about six years and then end up in landfills.

Despite all the benefits, Hasty said fresh trees do take a little management.

“Before you put your tree in the tree stand, cut one-fourth inch off the end of the trunk, water with hot tap water, water twice a day for the first week and then once a day,” she said.