Our Mission
Green cones of a Fraser fir (Abies fraseri)
The mission of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association (NCCTA) is to promote “real” Christmas Trees through marketing and education. We contribute to the success of the Christmas Tree Industry by providing ethical, professional, and visionary leadership.
On this website, you will find the means to locate Christmas Tree Wholesalers, Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farms, Christmas Tree Growers that offer Mail Order sales, and much more.
According to the 2022 USDA Ag Census, North Carolina has 940 growers producing approximately 53 million trees on more than 33,000 acres. Growers harvest more than 3 million trees annually. Fraser Fir represent 96 percent of all species grown in North Carolina and over 21% of all Christmas trees grown in the US, while NC Christmas trees as a whole make up 22 percent of US real Christmas tree production.
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry is ranked second in the nation in the number of trees harvested and cash receipts. 2022 Christmas tree sales in North Carolina totaled in excess of $144 million dollars. This calculation does not include sales of value-added products such as wreaths, roping and other greenery.
The North Carolina Fraser fir has been considered our nation’s best through various methods including total sales and the official Christmas tree & wreath contest sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association. It has been chosen for the official White House Christmas tree 16 times, including most recently in 2024 (more than any other species): 1971, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2023, 2024.
The North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas tree is one of the most popular Christmas trees in North America and is shipped to every state in the U.S. as well as to the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Japan and other points all over the world. It’s not surprising that this native southwestern Appalachian Mountain species is prized, with its incomparable needle retention, pliable yet strong branches, soft, dark green needles and a pleasant aroma. Since Fraser Fir only grows naturally on seven of the highest peaks in NC, TN and VA, cultivating it on tree plantations is key to its existence.
Producing the best tree for your family that nature and nurture can provide is a labor of love. It can take anywhere from twelve to fifteen years for a tree to be ready to harvest. It’s a difficult and time-consuming process, yet Christmas tree growers agree it is worth it when their trees become the decorative centerpiece of your home during the holiday season.
History of the NCCTA
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association (NCCTA) was formed in 1959 by a handful of growers in Avery County, a rural county with high elevations on the Tennessee border in the northwestern part of the state. The Association grew as fast as the Christmas Tree Industry and North Carolina has been ranked second in the US after Oregon for Christmas tree production for several years. The NCCTA has hosted the National Christmas tree convention 3 times and has sent the official Blue Room Christmas tree to the White House more times than any other state (15 times, going on 16 in 2024). Consequently, the Fraser fir species is the most popular species in the US. The NCCTA continues to promote real trees as an integral and natural part of the Christmas holiday season. See Real Tree History tab for more detailed information.
