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True Pines (conifer trees in the genus Pinus) are often confused with other members of the Pinaceae family like Picea (Spruces), Abies (Firs), Pseudotsuga (Douglas-firs) or Larix (Larches). So is very likely that your Christmas tree is not a pine.

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Credits (and Twitter handles):

Script Writer: Henry Reich (@MinutePhysics) Script Editor: Alex Reich (@alexhreich) Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (twitter:@eversalazar) Video Director: Henry Reich Narrator: Henry Reich With Contributions From: Emily Elert (@eelert), Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) and Peter Reich

Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder

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Image Credits:

Christmas Tree - Ricardo Reitmeyer / Shutterstock

Fir Tree Snow - Allen McGregor https://www.flickr.com/photos/allenmcgregor/5322599282

Douglas Fir - USDA (Public Domain)

Wolf - Arantza Ansotegui https://www.flickr.com/photos/121552653@N02/14530661499

Fox - Peter Trimming https://www.flickr.com/photos/peter-trimming/6173020494/

Canis mesomelas - Hans Hillewaert https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canis_mesomelas.jpg

White Pine Pinus strobus - US FWS (Public Domain)

Ponderosa Pine - Wikimedia user Famartin https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2013-07-14_10_15_37_Ponderosa_Pine_along_the_lower_portion_of_Wheeler_Peak_Scenic_Drive.jpg

Stone Pine - Wikimedia user MPF https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Pinus_pinea_foliage.jpg

Balsam Fir Needles - Homer Edward Price https://www.flickr.com/photos/28340342@N08/6255945212

Ponderosa Pine Cone - Flickr user S. Rae https://www.flickr.com/photos/35142635@N05/16378627751

Douglas Fir Cones - Wikimedia user MPF https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pseudotsuga_menziesii_cone.jpg

Knobcone Pine Cone - Wikimedia user Geographer https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Knobcone_Pine_Cone.jpg

Ponderosa pine - Wikimedia user Clyde_frogg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ponderosa_Identification.jpg

Huangshan pine https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Ying_Ke_Pine.JPG

Picea abies Norway Spruce - Ivar Leidus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kuusk_Keila-Paldiski_rdt_%C3%A4%C3%A4res.jpg

Picea abies - Wikimedia user Qgroom https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Picea_abies1.JPG

Serbian Spruce - Flickr user F D Richards https://www.flickr.com/photos/50697352@N00/10107213194

Picea Needles - Rudolf Schäfer https://www.flickr.com/photos/schaefer-rudolf/7067451777

Norway Spruce Cone - Dave Hosford https://www.flickr.com/photos/baltimoredave/4411500383

Abies Alba Silver Fir - Wikimedia user Crusier https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abies_alba_Silesian_Beskids.jpg

Abies Alba Fir Cones - Jerzy Opiola https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abies_alba_P26.jpg

Abies Alba Fir Needles - Böhringer Friedrich https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Abies_alba,_Wei%C3%9F_Tanne_1.JPG

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Walter Siegmund https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pseudotsuga_menziesii_28021.JPG

Douglas Fir Cones - Flickr user born1945 https://www.flickr.com/photos/12567713@N00/5606447150

Larch - Flickr user Björn S. https://www.flickr.com/photos/40948266@N04/23342083471

Winter Larch - Anneli Salo https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Larix_sibirica_-_Siperianlehtikuusi,_Sibirisk_l%C3%A4rk,_Siberian_larch_IMG_9213_C.JPG

Cathaya argyrophylla - Wikimedia user Daderot https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cathaya_argyrophylla_-Arnold_Arboretum-_DSC06796.JPG

Tsuga heterophylla - JeanPol Grandmont https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tsuga_heterophylla_%27Pendula%27_JPG.jpg

Keteleeria davidiana - Wikimedia user Daderot https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keteleeria_davidiana_-Quarryhill_Botanical_Garden-_DSC03431.JPG

Cedrus - Jacinta lluch Valero https://www.flickr.com/photos/70626035@N00/5789905750

Pseudolarix amabilis - Jeffrey O. Gustafson https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Larch_Bonsai_Forest.JPG