WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) -The nostalgic holiday smell of pine is strong this year, with many in our community bringing home a genuine Christmas tree.
According to a census by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the number of Christmas tree producers in Texas has almost doubled since 2017, with 220 producers now farming on more than 3,500 acres across the state.
And with more trees comes more demand, as people rush to purchase festive firs. Since 2017, sales of real Christmas trees have increased by more than 26% in Texas.
Michael Fiore, owner of Smith’s Gardentown, said that growing Christmas trees in the Lone Star State is not without challenges.
“In Texas, the challenge is you can’t grow the firs and the spruces that people are used to. So people have to pivot to different types of pines and junipers that’ll actually grow in Texas,” Fiore said.
Fiore added that this year has been one of the most popular he’s seen for real trees.
“There seems to be a return to tradition with real trees going on right now. We’re on pace to be sold out earlier than we have been ever this year. So it is really crazy,” Fiore said.
Even with the surge in popularity, Fiore says his favorite part is watching families search for the perfect tree.
“It’s just great when each kid and the parent get to give their opinion and then they finally come to a consensus as to which tree they want to pick out. And that’s their tree for the year,” Fiore said.
Tree sellers also note that purchasing a live tree is better for the environment in the long run, as they can be composted and kept out of landfills.
They also said that keeping a tree moist is important for reducing fire hazards and keeping the tree fresh for as long as possible.
As this year’s holiday approaches, one thing is clear: real Christmas trees are finding their way back into holiday traditions both in our area and across Texas.
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