A pencil Christmas tree is a tall, narrow artificial tree, and in a small space the number to check is base width, not height. Trees sold as pencil trees run from about 22 to 33 inches across the bottom branches, which means a 6-foot tree can stand in a corner barely over two feet wide. Slim trees are fuller, at 29 to 40 inches. Measure the floor and the ceiling first, pick pre-lit unless you enjoy wrapping lights, and trust the listed width over the name, because “pencil,” “slim” and “skinny” are marketing words, not measurements.
Best Pencil Christmas Trees for Small Spaces
Some links below are Amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, Etheric Echoes earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. In the lists, $ is a modest pick, $$ is in the middle and $$$ is the splurge on this page.
Product details can change, so check the listing before you buy. The room photos on this page show sizes and placement, not the exact models sold on Amazon.
Pencil Christmas trees at a glance
Every number below comes from the listing, so check it again before you order. Height is the tree itself, and the width is the widest point at the bottom.
| Tree | Height | Base width | Lights | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOMCOM 6-foot pencil, unlit | 6 ft | 21.75 in | None | $ |
| SHareconn 6-foot pre-lit | 6 ft | 30.7 in | 200 LEDs, warm white and multicolor | $ |
| Yaheetech 7.5-foot pre-lit | 7.5 ft | 33 in | 350 warm white | $ |
| Best Choice Products 6-foot Alpine | 6 ft | 30 in | 250 warm white LEDs | $$ |
| Best Choice Products 6-foot flocked | 6 ft | 29 in | 250 white and multicolor | $$ |
| Goplus 7.5-foot pre-lit | 7.5 ft | 32.4 in | 350 LEDs, 10 modes | $$ |
| Puleo 7.5-foot Fraser fir | 7.5 ft | 30 in | 350 clear | $$$ |
| National Tree Company 7.5-foot Kingswood Fir slim | 7.5 ft | 30 in | 350 white, stay lit | $$$ |
| Puleo 7.5-foot potted flocked pencil | 7.5 ft | 28 in | 230 warm white LEDs | $$$ |
How wide is a pencil Christmas tree?
BestReviews says most pencil trees are 19 to 23 inches across, but the trees sold under that name on Amazon list anywhere from about 22 to 33 inches, so the spread is bigger than you would guess. The HOMCOM is 21.75 inches at 6 feet, while the Yaheetech at 7.5 feet is 33 inches. The word pencil describes a straight, narrow shape, not a size, so two trees with the same label can differ by a foot.
The tree’s stand is narrower than its branches. The Goplus listing gives its folding metal base as 21.5 inches across. That is the footprint on the floor, but the lowest branches are always the widest part, so plan the space around them.
What is the difference between a pencil tree and a slim tree?
Shape and width. Easy Treezy puts slim trees at 29 to 40 inches across the base, a tree with the normal triangle shape just scaled down. Pencil trees are straighter and tighter, closer to a column, so they hold fewer and smaller ornaments. National Tree Company sells a 7.5-foot slim Kingswood Fir with a 30-inch base, which is as narrow as several trees labeled pencil. A skinny Christmas tree is the same idea with a third name.
In a very small corner, choose a pencil tree under 25 inches. For a small living room with a little more space, a slim tree looks more like a regular tree and gives you more branch depth for ornaments.
How do you measure your space for a pencil tree?
- Mark the floor. Put painter’s tape in a circle the width of the tree’s base. Open the nearest door, pull out a chair and walk through it for a day. You want about two feet of clear floor in front of the tree.
- Measure the ceiling. Go floor to ceiling at the exact spot, because older apartments and finished basements often run lower than 8 feet. Measure to the lowest thing overhead, such as a fan or light fixture.
- Add the stand and topper. The stand lifts the tree 6 to 12 inches, and a star or angel typically adds another 6 to 12 inches.
- Leave breathing room. Keep a few inches between the branches and the wall or sofa so they do not get crushed.
- Find the outlet. Pick a spot near power, or plan a flat plug and a timer, and run the cord along the baseboard instead of across the walkway.
What height pencil tree fits your ceiling?
King of Christmas advises a tree one to two feet shorter than the ceiling. Here is how that works for the trees on this page.
| Ceiling | Tree height | Trees on this page |
|---|---|---|
| 8 feet | 6 to 6.5 feet, 7 feet only with a small flat topper | HOMCOM, SHareconn, Best Choice Products 6-foot trees |
| 9 feet | 7.5 to 8 feet | Yaheetech, Goplus, Puleo, National Tree Company 7.5-foot trees |
| 10 feet | 8 to 9 feet | Check for a 9-foot size of the same models |
A 7.5-foot tree is a good height for a 9-foot ceiling and a poor one for an 8-foot ceiling, where it will touch once the stand and topper are added. If you are unsure, buy the shorter tree. A pencil tree looks tall anyway because it is so narrow.
Should a pencil tree be pre-lit or unlit?
For a small space, pre-lit is usually easier. Wrapping a string of lights around a tall narrow tree means leaning in to a corner for an hour, and a pre-lit tree needs only one plug. Look for LEDs, which run cooler and use less power than an incandescent light bulb, and for lights that stay lit if one bulb fails. National Tree Company and Puleo both describe their lights that way.
Choose unlit if you already own lights you love, want to change the color from year to year, or want to pick the exact warm white. The HOMCOM is the unlit tree on this page. Most of these trees are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tips, which are flame retardant and stay in shape, and a few mix in molded polyethylene tips for a more natural needle.
Are flocked pencil trees worth it?
If you want a snowy look, yes. Flocking is a layer of fake snow on the needles, and on a narrow tree it fills out the shape so it looks styled with only a few ornaments. The tradeoff is that flocking can shed while you set the tree up and pack it away, so lift the sections out gently and vacuum afterward. It also pairs best with warm white lights and simple ornaments, not heavy ones.
The Best Choice Products 6-foot flocked tree and the Puleo 7.5-foot potted flocked tree are the two flocked trees here. Fluff the branches before you light either one, or the narrow back can look flat against a wall.
The pencil trees in detail
HOMCOM 6-foot unlit pencil tree ($)
The listing gives a 21.75-inch diameter and 390 branch tips on a 6-foot tree, packed in a slim box that stores easily. It is the narrowest tree on this page. Know before buying: it has no lights, so you add your own, and the brand estimates about 30 minutes of fluffing. See the HOMCOM 6-foot pencil tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
SHareconn 6-foot pre-lit pencil tree ($)
A hinged tree in three parts, 72 inches tall on a 30.7-inch base, with 669 branch tips and 200 LEDs. The remote has five brightness levels and a memory function, so it returns to the last mode after you switch it off. Know before buying: the remote batteries are not included. See the SHareconn 6-foot tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Yaheetech 7.5-foot pre-lit pencil tree ($)
Listed at 7.5 feet tall and 33 inches wide, with 350 warm white lights and 1,086 branch tips on hinged branches and a foldable stand with foot covers. It is the tallest low-cost option here. Know before buying: 33 inches is wider than several of the others, so tape it out first. See the Yaheetech 7.5-foot tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Best Choice Products 6-foot Alpine pre-lit tree ($$)
A tapered green Alpine shape listed at 30 by 72 inches including the stand, with 250 warm white LEDs and about 700 PVC tips. The listing also covers a 7.5-foot size with 350 lights and 975 tips. Know before buying: plan 30 to 45 minutes of fluffing for the 6-foot size. See the Best Choice Products Alpine tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Best Choice Products 6-foot flocked pencil tree ($$)
The snowy one, listed at 29 by 72 inches including the stand, with 502 tips and 250 white and multicolor LEDs that cycle through nine sequences with a foot switch. Know before buying: the foot switch sits on the floor by the tree, and the multicolor lights are a choice you can ignore if you prefer plain white. See the Best Choice Products flocked tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Goplus 7.5-foot pre-lit pencil tree ($$)
Listed at 7.5 feet tall and about 2.7 feet wide, with 350 LEDs in 10 modes, 796 tips in PVC and PE, three sections and a UL588 certification. The folding metal base is 21.5 inches across. Know before buying: the modes include flashing and multicolor, and the 32.4-inch width is not the narrowest. See the Goplus 7.5-foot tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Puleo 7.5-foot pre-lit Fraser fir pencil tree ($$$)
Our splurge pick for the look of a real Fraser fir. It is listed at 30 inches wide and 7.5 feet tall, with 1,188 molded PVC tips and a hinged, letter-coded assembly. Puleo describes itself as America’s oldest Christmas tree brand. Know before buying: it needs a 9-foot ceiling, and the lights are clear, not warm white. See the Puleo 7.5-foot tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
National Tree Company 7.5-foot Kingswood Fir slim tree ($$$)
This one is a slim tree, with a 30-inch base, 350 white lights that stay lit when one goes out, and hinged branches that fold back for storage. It is a known brand in artificial trees. Know before buying: the listing recommends 45 to 60 minutes to shape the branches, and it is a slim tree, not a column. See the National Tree Company slim tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Puleo 7.5-foot potted flocked pencil tree ($$$)
A flocked tree in a potted stand, listed at 28 by 90 inches, with 230 warm white LEDs and 1,943 PVC and PE tips. The pot hides the stand, so you need no collar. Know before buying: it is the most expensive tree here, and the flocking will shed a little. See the Puleo potted flocked tree on AmazonAs an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
How do you decorate a pencil tree?
Start with fluffing. Straight out of the box a pencil tree looks flat, so work from the back toward the front, bend each tip outward and upward, and separate the tips. Then put the lights on if the tree is unlit, and add ornaments last.
King of Christmas suggests about 40 ornaments per foot for a balanced look, which is about 240 on a 6-foot tree. A pencil tree has less room, so use small, light ornaments, hang the smallest near the top, and stop before the branches droop. Long, thin decorations give a narrow tree definition, so wide ribbon tucked in sideways adds depth, and a strand of garland spiraled around the trunk fills gaps without weight. A lightweight tree topper keeps the tip upright, and a star or angel is usually 6 to 12 inches tall.
What goes around the bottom of a pencil tree?
A collar or a small skirt. A pencil tree’s stand is small, such as the 21.5-inch base on the Goplus, so a 22 to 24 inch collar covers it and takes less floor than a spread-out skirt. The small-space tree guide covers collars and what goes around the base in more detail, and the potted Puleo needs neither.
Where does a pencil tree go in a small room?
Into the corner, beside a sofa, or between a window and a bookshelf. Pencil trees also work in pairs flanking a front door or a fireplace, since each is narrow. Keep the tree out of a door swing and the path to the kitchen.
How do you store a pencil tree?
Hinged trees fold into three sections, so they pack into a narrow box. Keep the original box if you have room, or a tall storage bag if you do not. Flocked trees need to go in gently so the snow stays on the branches. The small-home Christmas decor storage plan helps with the rest of the pack-up.
More small space Christmas ideas
- Small space Christmas tree ideas for tabletop, half, wall and living trees, plus collars.
- Glowing Christmas trees for lit trees from tabletop to 8 feet.
- Christmas entryway decor for a narrow entry for a pair of trees by the door.
- A Christmas bedroom with no room for a tree for the smallest rooms.
- Christmas decor with no nails if your lease limits what you can hang.
