Ever wonder where your Christmas tree is from? Oregon, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Michigan are top Christmas tree producing states. So chances are your tree comes from one of these states unless your tree is the kind you keep in your attic and in that case it most likely comes from the Pearl River Delta area of China.
Here in Florida, we do have some evergreen trees that can be used for Christmas trees. There are many Christmas tree growers in the area that can give you the “choose and cut” option so prevalent in northern states, but with Florida evergreens. Many of these farms also offer the traditional northern varieties “fresh cut,” if you prefer them.
One of the most popular Florida grown Christmas tree is the red cedar. The red cedar looks like a prototypical Christmas tree. The issue with this tree is that its needles are itchy when they brush against your skin. It does smell good though.
Florida pine trees are sometimes used as Christmas trees, although their needles are sparse and they wind up looking like Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tree.
Some Christmas tree farms in the area are growing Carolina Sapphires which is a type of cypress tree. Their needles are silvery-grey or blue-grey in appearance and the smell of the tree has been described as a combination of citrus and mint.
A more popular Christmas is the Fraser Fir. They are popular because they retain their needles for a long time and provide a delightful fragrance. These trees only grow above 2200 feet and in a limited area that includes spots in North Western North Carolina and South Western Virginia.
We visited “Uncle Dave’s” tree farm which specializes in Fraser Firs. This tree farm is high up in the mountains of North Carolina at over 3000 feet and has hundreds of trees. You pick out the tree you like and the staff cuts it and helps you load the tree. We spoke with “Uncle Dave” who says he works full time and runs the tree farm on the side. He referred to the Fraser Fir as the “Cadillac of Christmas Trees.” Uncle Dave’s is one of at least 18 choose and cut tree farms in Watauga County. Watauga is considered the “choose and cut capital of the world.” We didn’t purchase a tree since we didn’t think it would look so great after driving 630 miles home on top of our car.
Many were concerned about the Christmas tree crop this year because the western North Carolina region has had a severe drought and wildfires have been prevalent throughout this region. Those in the industry, however, have reported little ill effects and actually are seeing some benefits to the lack of rain. Mainly harvesting and transporting the trees have been easier due to drier conditions. The Fraser Fir itself is tolerant of dry conditions, but growers do warn that there may be more needle drop than usual and recommend providing the tree with plenty of water once you get it home.
A slightly cheaper option is the Douglas Fir. Its needles are not irritating, but it does not last as long as the Fraser Fir. If you get a fresh tree and take good care of it, it will easily last a month. Although you will have to clean up lots of needles that fall from the tree.
The Douglas Fir is technically not a true fir, since it is not in the same genus as other firs. It is widely distributed throughout Western North America, although the variety that is now cultivated for Christmas trees originate from the Rockies.
If you’d like to have the “choose and cut” experience without driving up to North Carolina, here are a couple farms in the area growing Florida christmas trees. They both also offer Northern varieties for sale.
Lazy Lay Acres 14920 Swift Road Dade City FL 33525 United States
Email: lazylayacres@lazylayacres.com
Work Phone: (352) 567-6808
http://www.lazylayacres.com
Ergle Christmas Tree Farm
3325 Trieman Boulevard (Hwy 301) Dade City FL
Tony & Debbie Harris
Email: info@ergletrees.com; Work Phone: (352) 583-3647; http://www.ergletrees.com
Open: 9am-7pm Daily 7 days per week