Darrell Blackwelder

December 4, 2003

Years ago most family Christmas trees came from the forests or the edges of abandoned fields. Red cedar or Virginia pine was the tree often selected for the holidays.  Today over 98% of the Christmas trees are plantation grown on nearly 1 million acres in the United States.

Christmas is big business. Ask any retailer and it’s the Christmas season that often determines if their company realizes a profit.  The Christmas season for tree producers actually began over a month ago with tagging and harvests.  Thanksgiving Day is now considered the kick-off day for Christmas tree sales. Live trees we buy today are picture perfect as compared to trees available 10 years ago. Constant research and competition for the perfect tree make North Carolina one of the leaders in the Christmas tree industry.             

North Carolina is second only to Oregon in Christmas tree production, supplying 15% of live tree sales in the United States and also shipping to countries as far away as Japan and Bermuda.

Fraser firs comprise 90% of all Christmas trees grown in North Carolina-50 million trees on 25,000 acres. The typical “Christmas Tree” shape along with stiff branches and evergreen aroma make this species the tree of choice. However, fraser firs can be a little costly due to their growth requirements.  Along with the constant pruning and pest control, it normally takes about 12 years to grow a fraser fir. Fraser firs only grow at elevations above 3000 feet limiting their growth to the mountain region; therefore it is impossible to grow an acceptable tree in our location.

 White pines trees are also a Christmas tree favorite.  This tree has soft blue-white branch needles appealing to those that want a “soft tree” look.  White pine Christmas trees can be grown in this area requiring about 8 years to produce a suitable 6-foot tree.

Scotch pine and Virginia pine are also produced as live Christmas trees in the Piedmont.  These have stiffer needles for heavy ornaments.

Choosing the perfect tree can take awhile. The best way to judge a fresh cut tree is to pinch the needles. They should be soft and aromatic. Shake the tree. If a huge quantity of needles fall, look to another tree.

Trim a half-inch off the butt end of trunk and insert into water. No need to make another cut if the tree goes directly into the stand.  It’s best to make a new cut if you’re going to wait a few days before setting the tree. It’s important to keep a close watch on the water level since a typical cut Christmas tree may consume up to one quart of water a day. Adding aspirin, sodas, bleach or sugar to the water in the tree stand is no more effective in keeping the tree fresh than adding plain water each day.

If possible place the trees in a cool spot in the house, away from heat, drafts or direct sunlight. Reducing home thermostat settings a few degrees also slows the rate of drying.

Treating trees with flame-retardants is a must for holiday trees in public buildings, apartments or for those the burn many lights.  Premixed solutions are readily available at garden centers, retail outlets and tree stands. Never leave home or go to bed with the Christmas tree lights on.

Darrell Blackwelder is an agricultural agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. For archived garden columns or other information, visit the Rowan County Master Gardener web site at www.rowanmastergardener.com , e-mail Darrell_Blackwelder@ncsu.edu or phone at 704-633-0571.