CHRISTMAS TREES

The ready-cut Christmas tree industry started in the mid-nineteenth century with trees cut from the forest. The planting of trees in plantations began in the early twentieth century and increased greatly after the Second World War.

 

There are currently about 2,700 Christmas tree operations in the U.S. Of these, about three-quarters sell trees retail and about one-half sell at least some of their trees wholesale. The most common trees produced are the Fraser fir, Douglas fir, and Colorado blue spruce. Other important varieties include white pine, balsam fir, Scotch pine, white spruce, noble fir, grand fir, and Leyland cypress. Sales of Christmas trees in the U.S. are around $250 million each year.