By Heidi Bornhorst

Q. Which is "greener," more ecological and Earth-friendly: a Mainland tree, which smells so good, or a local one like a Norfolk pine?

A. Norfolk Island pines are definitely "greener" and will stay green for months. I love the smell of Mainland Christmas trees and I know several people make their income on them at this time of year.

However, as the black widow in the grapes at Thanksgiving reminded us: There are lots of pests that want to come to Hawai'i on holiday and never leave.

What better place for them to hide than a shipment full of trees? The tight branches of a Christmas tree, packed with other trees in a comfy shipping container, makes a perfect fantasy trip for a pest.

Norfolk are true Hawai'i trees (sort of — for a long time, anyway). They stay fresh and green and don't drop needles. No new pests accompany a shipment of Norfolks because they're growing here already. You can grow your own or support a local farmer. A potted Norfolk Island pine is a nice tradition that can grow for years.

The tree has a wonderful symmetrical shape, and you do not have to water it much. I think of it as a no-mess house plant that will last months. I feel sad taking the tree out around April, because it's still green.

You can also do cool things with the needles and branches. Needles can be an angel halo, a bracelet or mini wreath. The branches make quick and easy full-sized Christmas wreaths.

Some object to the fact that they have no scent — so spray 'em with Pine Sol... not! You can spray them with pine scent or, as my friend Kristen Bradley suggests, a wooden ornament enhanced with pine scent. (Her husband, Todd, is working on the perfect scent for mainland pine replacement aromatherapy).

Hawaiian holiday wreaths

If you have a Norfolk pine, you can still have that Mainland Christmas smell: Buy a wreath in support of your favorite charity. This will import a nice fragrance for your holidays and provide community support.

You also can create your own wreath. With a few basic supplies from any craft supply or florist, you can create a lovely and unique wreath, swag or gift topper from found garden materials. The high winds are giving us gifts from high atop trees; go out and see what you can find.

Collecting and assembling the decorative plant materials in advance makes it easier.

The base can be bought or made from found materials. We started with the straw base still enclosed in plastic. You can make a wreath base using an old wire coat hanger, wire or string and presoaked brown banana leaves, and banana-tree "skin" or bark.

The aerial roots of banyan trees make a great base, and are dark red brown and decorative in and of themselves. One pretty wreath uses banyan roots in a circle, wrapped with banana-tree skin and highlighted with dried ferns, dragon tree bases and dried hau leaves.

Hau, in its many forms, is super- useful. My pal Walla Pomroy on Kaua'i is a proponent and crafter of fine silky hau for lei, crafts and wreaths, where dried hau leaves are surprisingly gorgeous. Hau bark is also useful in Christmas and other crafts.

You can make "ribbons" of sugar cane (the colorful, flavorful old Hawaiian varieties are super for this), of flax at higher elevations (and get rid of a forest pest in native forests), hala or variegated hala, ti or banana leaves.

Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable landscape consultant. Submit questions at islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com or Island Life, The Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Letters may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.