Fresh-cut Christmas tree farms open each year at Thanksgiving, and the majority of those farms are in the Appalachian region, where the climate supports their growth.
If you're shopping for a real tree, chances are it was grown in the mountains of North Carolina to Virginia, and parts of East Tennessee.
Jamie Dinkins Bookwalter is a North Carolina agriculture extension specialist. She was born and raised in the Knoxville area and now specializes in mountain conifers.
"North Carolina produces more Christmas trees than Canada," she said. "A lot of your Fraser Fir Christmas trees that you go buy at a grocery store are probably from an hour away."
Some are even closer. Fraser firs grow best above 3,000 feet, making them harder to cultivate in much of East Tennessee.
Hal Wilson found that his family's property in Sevier County is special. The land ranges from 1,100 to 2,000 feet, but tucked between the hills is a pocket of colder air where Fraser firs are thriving. "When you leave Pigeon Forge and come here, it's always five to 10 degrees cooler here than it is there. We'll get six inches of snow. They'll get a dusting, " he said.
It all started when the extended Wilson family inherited more than 100 acres. Together they all pitch in at the Wilson Glyn Christmas Tree Farm.
"We took what came from our Dad and Mom, what they were able to do, and with the Lord blessing it, it turned into something much larger," Wilson described.
They began planting the trees in 2009, and have found the years with good rainfall and cool soil temperatures are key to keeping the trees healthy through the decade it takes for them to mature. Rainfall has been beneficial this year.
"It's important that we were stewards of what we're left," he said.
Wilson credits North Carolina farmers for sharing their knowledge. He's also mindful of what they faced since the remnants of Hurricane Helene brought flooding and landslides in September 2024.
Bookwalter and her colleagues have been helping farmers in North Carolina recover. She said the storm caused $300 to $370 million in damage in western North Carolina to nursery operations, including growers who raise Christmas trees from seedlings. Thankfully, many were able to restock for this season. She said farmers are excited to host people looking for a fresh tree in North Carolina.
If you're shopping for a fresh-cut tree at a local store, check the tag to see what part of the Appalachian region it came from. Or choose one of the few East Tennessee Christmas tree farms where you can cut down your own.
If you choose the Wilson Glyn Christmas Tree Farm, Hal Wilson says to wear boots and a jacket for their colder climate, and enjoy the atmosphere the family creates.
"We play our instruments and sing the old Christmas songs out of the hymnals," he said.
