About Real Trees

How We Grow Trees SignHave you ever wondered where all the Christmas trees that show up on the lots around Thanksgiving come from? These trees are grown on plantations and shipped around the country to retail lots. It takes many years of hard work to produce a tree that is just right to become a Christmas tree.

The Growth Process

Christmas trees begin their life in a nursery. Seeds are taken from cones of mature trees, planted and covered with straw. They are also covered with a shade cloth to prevent them from being damaged by frost or sun. After three years, the Fraser Fir trees seedlings are ready to be moved to the line-out beds for further growth. Line-out beds allow the seedlings to grow without competition from larger trees. With all the trees being relatively the same size, they have an equal opportunity for sunlight and water. The seedlings will stay in the line-out bed for two years or until they are strong enough to be transplanted into the field. During the seven to eight years the trees remain in the field, the grower, or Christmas tree farmer will spend time and effort in shaping them. After the trees reach a height of three feet they are sheared for the first time.

Shearing TreeShearing

During the shearing process, the top of the tree, or leader is cut back. By slowing the upward growth process, the tree will branch out more quickly. As the tree beings to branch out, the grower will trim the branches to shape the tree and give it a fuller appearance.

Shearing the tree is not the only management practice that the grower will engage in. Integrated Pest Management, a system of pest control methods that use appropriate cultural practices and pesticide selection to reduce pests, is another management technique that Christmas tree growers are using successfully.

Growers also follow sound soil conservations practices, protecting soils from erosion and being careful not to deplete its nutrients.

Harvest

At harvest time, growers identify finished trees by placing a ribbon on them. The ribbons are color coded with each height being assigned a different color. Often a whole field is not ready for sale in any one year. It often takes two to four years before a field is cleared and ready for new trees to be planted.

The tagged trees are cut and then bundled during a process called baling. During the baling process, the trees are placed in a machine that ties them in twine so that they are easier to ship. After being baled, the trees are taken to the loading yard where they are placed on trucks and shipped to retail lots all across the country.

Producing the best tree for your family that nature and nurture can provide takes much time and effort. It can take anywhere from twelve to fifteen years for a tree to be ready to harvest. Yet, Christmas tree growers agree that this long hard job is worth it when their trees become the decorative centerpiece of your home during the holiday season.

For more info on NC Christmas Trees, visit our video section.

North Carolina Christmas Tree Facts

  • North Carolina has approximately 850 growers producing Fraser Fir Christmas trees on an estimated 40,000 acres.
  • Fraser fir represents over 94% of all species grown in North Carolina. Here are all the major species grown in North Carolina: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/christmas-tree-species
  • Fraser fir is grown in the far Western North Carolina counties which include Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey.
  • The North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested and cash receipts.
  • North Carolina produces over 26% of the Real Christmas Trees in the U.S.
  • The North Carolina Fraser fir has been judged the Nation’s best through a contest sponsored by the National Christmas Tree Association and chosen for the official White House Christmas tree 14 times (more than any other species)….1971, 1973, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2005, 2007, 2008 2012, 2018 and 2021!
  • The North Carolina Fraser fir Christmas tree is the most popular Christmas tree in North America and is shipped into every state in the U.S. as well as the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, Japan and other points all over the world.
  • The North Carolina Fraser fir has soft, pleasant-to-touch needles, incomparable needle retention, long lasting aroma, and more pliable yet stronger branches for even the heaviest ornaments.
  • Individual Christmas tree growers may sell anywhere from a few dozen trees per year to hundreds of thousands of trees per year.

Christmas Tree Farm

USDA Christmas Tree Facts

Click here for statistics on Christmas trees from USDA, NASS North Carolina Field Office and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Christmas TreesEnvironmental Issues

Did you ever think that by using a live Christmas tree in your house that you were actually helping the environment? Real trees help the environment from the time they are planted until after the holiday season when they can be recycled. While they are growing, Christmas trees support life by absorbing carbon dioxide and other gases while giving off fresh oxygen. Every acre of Christmas trees planted gives off enough oxygen to meet the needs of 18 people. Today in America there are enough Christmas trees planted that 18 million people a day are supplied with oxygen. Also, the farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies, and provide a refuge for wildlife while creating a nice scenic view. Often, Christmas trees are grown on soil that will not support any other crops. And when one Christmas tree is cut down, one or two are replanted in its place.

Artificial Trees vs. Real Trees

Artificial trees are made from oil-based products that use up our natural resources. They are also not recyclable and will remain in land-fills for centuries after disposal. Real Christmas trees, on the other hand, are recyclable. The branches and trunk are biodegradable and can be made into mulch for the garden. A Christmas tree placed in the back yard will make a nice bird feeder and the birds can also use the tree branches for shelter during the winter winds. Large quantities of trees make effective barriers on beaches to prevent soil erosion. Sunk into ponds, the trees will also make an excellent refuge and feeding area for fish. Download the Real vs Artificial Trees Flyer.