A stand for holding a rod-shaped unit, particularly a Christmas tree, comprises a foot part, a seating region for the tree trunk, said seating region being located on the foot part, several holding elements, which are supported around an axis of symmetry of the stand and which are pivotable against spring force out of an open position into a holding position, their pivoting planes intersecting approximately in the axis of symmetry, and at least one flexible force transfer element, particularly a steel cable, which can be actuated by means of a tensioning device and which can be loaded in tension and which engages around the holding elements and which, when tightened, causes the holding elements to pivot towards the axis of symmetry into the holding position. The holding elements comprise an upper dimensionally rigid holding region for transferring the tension and holding forces and a resilient element, which is fixed or is molded on below said holding region and by means of which the respective holding element is held in a receptacle, the holding element and its receptacle being designed such that the holding element is pivotable out of the open position into the holding position, that it is guided in its receptacle in this pivoting movement and that it simultaneously provides the spring force counteracting the pivoting movement.