Dr. Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus
University of Vermont
Knowing a few facts about Christmas trees and their production
will give you a new appreciation of them this holiday season, and
why many prefer them over artificial ones.
--About 25 to 30 million real trees are sold in this country every
year.
--Real trees are grown on farms like other crops. To ensure
enough trees for harvest, growers plant on average three seedlings
for every tree harvested.
--Christmas tree farms stabilize soil, protect water supplies, and
provide refuge for wildlife. Often these trees can be grown on
poor soils where other crops won’t grow. About 350,000 acres are
used in this country to grow Christmas trees, preserving much
green space.
--An acre of Christmas trees produces enough daily oxygen for 18
people. The trees on farms in this country currently provide
enough oxygen for 18 million people a day.
--There are an estimated 350 million trees growing on farms in all
50 states, with more if you include the many farms in Canada.
--These trees are grown by over 15,000 farms in this country,
which employ over 100,000 people either full or part-time.
--Time to grow a tree (6 to 7 feet) for sale can vary from 4 to 15
years, depending on species and climate, with the average being 7.
--Of those buying real trees, about one-quarter cut their own at
local farms. This upward trend
parallels the interest by many in supporting local business and
agriculture. Also, cutting your own tree ensures that you will
have the freshest one possible.
--Top selling trees include balsam fir, Fraser fir, and Scotch
pine.
--The top tree growing states nationwide are Oregon, North
Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington.
--While many real trees in the north are locally grown, supporting
local and regional agriculture, over 80 percent of artificial
trees worldwide are made in China.
--No chemicals and few pesticides (if any) are used on real trees,
with studies showing no residues on harvested trees. Artificial
trees are often plastic, and may contain the dangerous chemical
PVC. Manufacture of PVC creates the most toxic man-made
chemicals, dioxins. Artificial trees also may contain metal
toxins such as lead.
--Christmas trees in home, both real and artificial, account for
less than one-tenth of one percent of all home fires, according to
the National Fire Protection Association. Real trees kept fresh
are difficult to ignite.
--Real Christmas trees are recyclable, often chipped into mulch at
one of the more than 4,000 recycling centers nationwide. The
average family uses an artificial tree for 6 to 9 years before
discarding, where it will remain in landfills for centuries, as
they are not recyclable.
--A study by Swedish researchers found that, considering all the
inputs, a real tree is five times more environmentally compatible
than an artificial one.
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