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Drought diverts Christmas tree supply chain

Drought has impacted the availability of locally grown Christmas trees in parts of the southern U.S. this season.

Real Christmas Tree Board Executive Director Marsha Gray tells Brownfield local U-Cuts are bringing in extra trees from northern regions to help supplement supplies.

“They grow a very different tree,” she explains.  “It doesn’t take that long to grow. They grow theirs typically in about four years, like almost half the time, because they have almost two growing periods each year. But those very locally have been impacted with that.”

She says drought in parts of the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest will also mean increased seedling plantings next year.

“Wisconsin and Minnesota have been dealing with some drought, and some heat the last couple of years, so they’ve been a little bit challenged, but we’ve been able to harvest enough trees,” she says.

About two-thirds of consumers are making their real Christmas tree purchase in the coming week.

“In our survey, 33% said they buy their Christmas tree Thanksgiving weekend, an additional 33% going that first week after Thanksgiving going into December.”

Gray says about 20 percent of participants in their annual survey this July said they plan on buying their first real tree.