Where to buy Christmas trees in Zurich

Christmas trees, aka Weihnachtbaum in German, are not hard to find in Switzerland. But there are a few fun places to get your tree in the Zurich area.

Zurich has three forests where you can buy locally grown trees and even has two days where you can cut down your own tree. We also like visiting a Christmas tree farm in the countryside, wandering through the large forest of trees searching for a perfect one, then cutting down a live one to take home.

Here’s everything you need to know about buying a Christmas tree in the Zürich area.

When can you buy Christmas trees

Many Swiss and Europeans use real candles on their trees. So they tend to buy their trees closer to Christmas, ensuring a fresh tree that is less likely to explode when expose to a flame. So many tree lots don’t open until the second or third week of December and stay open until noon on Christmas Eve.

However, some farms let you visit in November or earlier to reserve your tree. Then you can come back in mid December to pick it up. So if you are shopping for a tree in December, you may find many of the best trees already reserved. 

If you want to have your tree up in early December, try Forstgarten Albisgüetli in Zurich City and Feldmann Farm near Bremgarten. See below for details.

Trees from Zurich City Forest

In Zurich city, you can get trees from the Zurich city forests and on certain days, cut your own. Here are the 2023 dates.

Forstgarten Albisgüetli
Uetlibergstrasse 355, 8045 Zürich
Buy cut trees on 25.Nov to 23.Dec 2024 from 8:00–17:00 (not Sundays).
Cut it yourself: Sun 15. Dec 2024 from 11:00–16:00

Stadtgärtnerei
Sackzelg 25/27, 8047 Zürich
Buy cut trees 12.Dec to 22.Dec 2024 from 9:00–17:00 (not Sun 15 Dec 2024)

Werkhof Hönggerberg
Kappenbühlstrasse 149, 8049 Zürich
Trees already cut 17 – 21.Dec 2024 from 9:00–16.00
Cut it yourself on Sat 21.Dec 2024 from 9:00–16:00

Learn more on Zurich city website

Renting Christmas trees

It’s becoming more popular to rent trees as a more environmentally-friendly choice. This option is more expensive than buying a cut tree and the trees tend to be shorter. There are a variety of services around Switzerland that will deliver and pick up your tree (important because it comes planted in a big pot).  Some will let you rent the same tree each year so you can watch it grow. Options near Zürich:

• Bachsermärt – you can pick up your tree at their shop in Zürich (Ginsterstrasse 1, 8047 Zürich), usually available starting first advent. This is done in cooperation with Schutzfilser. They recommend having the tree only 14 days inside your home.
• Ecosapin.ch (website in English)
• Baumfreunde

Christmas Tree Farms

Many communities have a local tree farm, like Zollikon or Kilchberg Stockengut Farm, so you usually don’t have to go far and it’s nice to support local growers.

Most tree farms don’t advertise online, so just look for posters in your neighborhood and local community center. You can search online for Weihnachtsbäume or Christbaumverkauf.

Feldmann Farm near Bremgarten

We like the Feldmann Farm near Bremgarten (Schweielstrasse 30, 5525 Fischbach-Göslikon), because it opens much earlier than most other farms. They usually open from the beginning of November. You can visit early to pick your tree then go back later to cut it down. They are open daily from 9 – 17:00, lunch break for an hour on weekdays. 

We really liked this place! The staff was so friendly and happy to have our business. If you don’t see anyone when you arrive, just call the phone number posted at the farm and they will come help you.

We got to cut down the tree ourselves with a hand-saw – love it! Third, they have great prices. We paid CHF 60 for a 2 meter tree in 2019. They have tons of selection; the website says 45,000 trees in their fields. It was definitely a muddy mess walking through the farm, so bring newspapers to set your shoes on in the car for the way home.

Christbaumhof Horgenberg

We usually go to Christbaumhof Horgenberg at Oberhofweg 27 8815 Horgenberg. In 2020, they start selling trees from 10 Dec 2022, open 9:00 to 17:00 daily, closed during lunchtime on weekdays. They have a huge selection of live trees to choose from in several fields surrounding the farmhouse. You pick a tree, then get one of the workers to chainsaw it down for you and wrap it up.

Depending on the weather, it can be quite muddy, so have the kids wear rain pants and boots.

They also had hot punch and cookies, which the kids look forward to.

Home Improvement Stores

All the big home improvements stores and many grocery stores will sell Christmas trees starting around the second week of December, some earlier. You will get a bigger selection at the superstores like Coop Bau & Hobby (from 22.Nov 2022), Jumbo and Migros Do It + Garden. 

Types of Christmas trees

These tree types grow in Switzerland: Weisstanne, Fichte/Rottanne, and Waldföhren. These tree types are imported: Nordmanntanne, Blautanne, Douglasie. Some farms grow these varieties as well but they are less common and more expensive.

Artificial Trees

If you prefer an artificial tree (aka Künstliche Weihnachtsbaum), you can purchase these in Switzerland at Manor, Coop Bau & Hobby, Migros Do It + Garden , Jumbo, and online only at www.kuenstlicher-weihnachtsbaum.ch

Here are some online resources in Germany, where the trees are cheaper: Obi (live and artificial), Amazon.de, Globus Baumarkt

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