N.C. Christmas Trees: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

In the words of Clark W. Griswold, Jr., “We’re kicking off our fun, old-fashioned family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.”

A timeless tradition for many families each December, picking the perfect Christmas tree often signals the start of the holiday season.

North Carolina produces about 1 of every 4 real Christmas trees in the U.S.

In North Carolina, we grow more than 4 million Christmas trees across roughly 40,000 acres annually (No. 2 in the country). Gifting the world with millions of trees each year, North Carolina is pretty much the North Pole of Christmas trees.

And with over 850 Christmas tree farms, you don’t have to walk out into the woods and cut it down with your bare hands Griswold-style (we have choose-and-cut farms that can help you).

The most popular species of Christmas tree in North Carolina is Fraser fir. The “Cadillac of Christmas trees,” according to Johnny Wishon of Wishon Farms, Fraser firs make up around 95% of the state’s industry.

Fraser firs are grown mostly in far-western counties like Ashe, Avery and Watauga. Folks in the Piedmont and coastal plain regions of North Carolina are still able to make the season bright with Christmas tree species suited to lower elevations: Leyland cypress, white pine, Virginia pine, eastern redcedar and Arizona cypress cultivars like ‘Blue Ice’ or ‘Carolina Sapphire.’

Did you know that your live Christmas tree is already 6 to 10 years old when you bring it home?

Join NC State Extension’s Christmas tree expert, Jeff Owen, and journey into the world of North Carolina Christmas trees for a behind-the-scenes look at how NC State helps farmers grow, harvest and sell these seasonal delights. Consider this permission to peek before Christmas!

Visit NC State Extension’s Christmas tree site and follow the team on Facebook for more helpful holiday tips.

Extra Tree Trimmings

• Real vs. Fake Christmas Trees: Discover the differences and environmental impacts of real North Carolina Christmas trees and artificial trees.
• Picking the Perfect Christmas Tree: Selecting the best Christmas tree for your home can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for the entire family, but where to begin?
• Choose-and-Cut Christmas Tree Farms: Use the N.C. Christmas Tree Association’s directory to find which of our 300 choose-and-cut farms is nearest to you.
• Replanting Live Christmas Trees at Home: One of the more enjoyable holiday traditions is to replant a live Christmas tree in your landscape – learn how to select and care for a tree that can last a lifetime.
• History of the Christmas Tree: For many families, a decorated tree is the centerpiece of the Christmas holidays, but how did this curious habit of bringing a tree into the house get started?