Christmas tree conifers are thought to be millions of years old.

The kind of conifers used as Christmas trees have retained their genetic makeup for millions of years, and were around when the dinosaurs roamed the earth.

According to a study from the Université Laval in Canada, conifers found a niche in their environment very early on when compared with flowering plants that had to struggle for survival and reproduction.

Because of the early stability of the evergreen or conifer tree, there are only about 600 different species of conifer trees, and over 400 thousand different species of flowering plants in the world.

Researcher Jean Bousquet said: “That doesn't mean there haven't been smaller-scale modifications such as genetic mutations. However, the macrostructure of the conifer genome has been remarkably stable over the ages."

Ever wonder why evergreens are brought into the home and decorated as a Christmas tradition?

According to the History Channel, it is widely believed that in the 16th century, the Christian reformer Martin Luther was the first one to put lights in a tree in an effort to show his family how it looked when he saw the stars through the trees.

The tradition of having a Christmas tree did not gain popularity in the United States until the late 19th century.