As Jan. 6 marks the close of the Twelve Days of Christmas, Christmas tree growers are wrapping up a season that industry leaders describe as healthy, marked by consistent sales and stable production despite broader economic pressures.
This year’s Christmas trees were “really happy” according to Will Kohlway IV, an extension specialist in Christmas tree production and marketing for N.C. State University.
“We had really good conditions for them to grow.” Kohlway told Carolina Journal. “We had rain spread out throughout the year, other than all at once. We had a good summer with not much drought, so the trees look really good.”
Kohlway also said that it was an “average year” for Christmas tree sales in the state with Black Friday weekend being the busiest point of the season as it is every year.
In September of 2024, Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina affecting thousands of people. The storm also affected most of the Christmas tree farms in western North Carolina. The farms in Avery, Ashe, and Watauga counties were especially hit hard by Helene. The farmers were resilient though, working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to open roads and build bridges to be able to welcome customers last Christmas season which also included the 2024 White House Christmas Tree from Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland.
“Hurricane Helene is still on the minds of a lot of people.” Kohlway said, “30-40 thousand trees were wiped out by landslides, but we cultivate about 53 million trees and harvest anywhere between two to three million a year. So while it does hurt to lose those 30-40 thousand, we had no problem with supply and we don’t foresee there being any supply issues in the future due to Helene.”
Christmas tree farming means a lot to North Carolina as it is the second largest specialty crop in the state behind only sweet potatoes. According to Kohlway, Christmas trees alone produce about $150 million annually to the state economy and if you add greenery and agriculture tourism, it can reach anywhere from $250-$400 million a year.
North Carolina also has the second largest Christmas tree production in the nation behind only Oregon. Kohlway added that Fraser Firs grow best in North Carolina and because of that, he likes to say that “We are number two in production but we’re number one in value.”
The North Carolina Christmas Tree Association posted on social media asking real tree owners to recycle their Christmas tree as the holiday season ends. Your tree can be food for farm animals, or transformed into nutrient-rich mulch for nourishing soil.
Even after the destruction that Hurricane Helene brought to western North Carolina, the state’s Christmas tree industry was better than ever in 2025 after a good weather year. People also continue to support western North Carolina and their businesses after Helene.
