Texas researchers run down the plusses to getting a real tree
By Stephen O'Shea, Texas A&M Forest Service
An
average of 20-25 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year,
or roughly one tree for every five households, according to Marsha Gray of
the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. Nationally,
the real Christmas tree industry also employs around 100,000 people.
“Christmas
trees are grown in all 50 states,” Gray said. “But the top producing regions
are centered around Oregon, North Carolina and Michigan.”
Trees from those areas are the ones you’re likely to find at retail lots, garden centers and your standard home improvement store.
Nevertheless, many Americans
prefer going to local Christmas tree farms, picking out their favorite tree,
and bringing it back to their homes. And thanks to the hardiness of Christmas
trees, Americans are able to do that almost everywhere throughout the U.S.
Real Christmas Trees
While
it might seem counter-intuitive that cutting down a live tree would be
beneficial, sustainably managed forests have immense environmental benefits.
Christmas
trees are grown for an average of eight to 10 years before they are cut down,
and more than 350 million trees are currently growing on Christmas tree farms
throughout the U.S, with only a fraction of that number being harvested each
year.
Beyond
converting carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen, Christmas trees filter water,
reduce runoff and potential flooding, and provide homes, food and protection
for wildlife. They cool the average temperatures around them by almost 10
degrees, reduce erosion and pollution, and the wood is used to build homes and
businesses.
Additionally,
there are benefits of having a real Christmas tree in the home. From improving
mental health, productivity and happiness to boosting your immune system and
lowering anxiety, research has proven time and again that living plants and trees
are invaluable.
And
real trees are entirely biodegradable. Thousands of organizations will take the
tree to convert it into mulch or composted soil when it is time to dispose of
them.
Artificial
Christmas Trees
Some
consumers are drawn to artificial trees for the very fact that they aren’t
real. Allergies to pine pollen and tree mold deter many potential buyers, along
with their price and lack of reusability.
Artificial
Christmas trees are almost entirely imported – 85% of them are made in China,
according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. They are made of metals and
plastics — typically PVC, which, “can be a potential source of hazardous lead”
— and are almost impossible to recycle, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
“If
you wanted to recycle an artificial tree, you would have to pull each
individual needle off of the entire tree,” Gray said. “Otherwise, you would
have to throw it away, where it would remain in a landfill indefinitely.”
Pining
For The Best Tree
Christmas
trees are also hardier than most, and can grow where other trees cannot. Take
the Virginia pine — the Christmas tree of choice for Fred Raley, tree
improvement coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service.
“Virginia
pine is native to more rocky or sandier soils,” Raley said. “It’s very hardy,
and it grows very quickly.”
Virginia pine trees were selected by the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association for their survivability, growth and form. They are also favored for their ability to grow across the state. This is crucial in Texas, since over 90% of all forested land is privately owned.
In order for that land to remain forested or, in some cases, to become forested, landowners need an incentive to maintain it. And the Virginia pine provides that incentive. They can grow to a standard Christmas tree size in half the time — just three to five years — and, according to Raley, don’t need much care.
“For
long term survivability, they like to be left alone. They don’t like it wet.
They don’t even require a bunch in terms of nutrients,” he said. “In their
native range, they grow in very poor soils, and that’s one of the thoughts
behind bringing this species to Texas.”
The
Texas A&M Forest Service is leading the way in Virginia pine improvement
and development. Thanks to a recent grant from the Christmas Tree Promotion
Board, they’re currently working to make the Virginia pine even more adaptable,
beautiful and enticing to landowners across the state.
Something
Special For The Holidays
“There’s
something special about having a live tree in your home,” Raley said.
“Especially now, during the pandemic — when families are spending lots of time
together and are looking for ways to enjoy that time together — I think going
out and finding a live tree is something that really has a lot of value.”
Raley
has brought home a live tree with his family every Christmas for 25 years, and
his children have carried that tradition on to their families.
“It’s
a very unique and very special experience during a special time of the year,”
he said.
Visit Healthy
Trees, Healthy Lives to learn more about how trees can boost
your health, and check out the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association to find
a Christmas tree farm near you.