Vivo Technologies realistic mini pine tree with warm white lights (50cm)

Description

For anyone who notices the foliage before the baubles, this Vivo Technologies miniature pine is an appealing starting point. Its needles are moulded from polyethylene throughout, giving the branches a more three-dimensional texture. The plain green tree sits in a hessian-wrapped weighted base and comes with a separate set of warm white lights, ready for you to arrange in your preferred way.

At approximately 50cm high and 30cm across, it is a comfortable size for a dining-room dresser, a wide mantelpiece or a small festive display beside the main tree.

Enjoy the foliage up close

The PE tips are shaped to suggest natural pine needles, with a dense branch structure that can be adjusted by hand. The tree arrives in one piece, so there are no trunk sections to match together. Open the folded tips gradually and work around the tree until you have a balanced outline.

Do not be surprised if it needs a little more arranging through the middle. A customer of the 50cm size was pleased with the quality but found that area slightly open. Turning neighbouring tips in different directions can help soften gaps, and a well-placed small ornament or loose ribbon can complete the shape without hiding all the greenery.

Put the light where you want it

A separate string of 35 warm white LEDs is included. You wind this around the branches yourself, which lets you decide whether to concentrate the glow near the trunk or bring more light towards the outer tips. Two AA batteries are required and are not supplied.

Arrange the lights before adding other decorations, keeping the battery compartment within reach. Test the string first so you can see how the light falls as you work. The warm tone is particularly lovely with the natural hessian base, wooden ornaments and small cream or gold baubles.

A flexible little Christmas display

The weighted core beneath the fabric gives the base a more substantial feel, with an overall tree weight of around 1.2kg. It looks finished without a separate planter, though a shallow tray can help gather the tree and a few accompanying ornaments into one display.

This is a good choice for a personal decorating theme: tiny woodland figures, a handful of vintage baubles or simply lights and a ribbon. Keep the scale of the ornaments in proportion so that the moulded branches remain visible. A taller option is also available.

The tree is described for indoor and outdoor use, but any lighting arrangement should follow the supplied instructions for its location. Indoors, it can be enjoyed without watering or the seasonal disposal of a real tree. When Christmas is over, take out the batteries and remove the separate light string before gently folding the tips. Storing the lights loosely alongside the tree will help avoid tangles when you bring it out again.