Christmas Tree Farming Grows to Become Statewide Holiday Industry

Charleston, WV – That real Christmas Tree you are or have already decorated could very well have been grown right here in West Virginia. The Christmas Tree industry has grown rapidly in recent years becoming one of the leading specialty agricultural crops in the state.

Christmas tree farms are located throughout West Virginia, tending to be more in the mountainous regions, but have started to catch on in the flatland areas of the Eastern Panhandle and the Mid-Ohio Valley. The two most popular trees in West Virginia are Fraser Firs and followed by Douglas Firs. West Virginia soil provides the much needed drainage for the trees and the abundance of natural terrains is suited perfectly for the spacing needed to have a Christmas Tree farm.

Christmas Tree varieties are an example of a niche market that West Virginia farmers have started to fill. Most Christmas tree farms are small operations, harvesting around 1,000 trees a year on average. Most are choose and cut operations that serve local communities, however, many sell trees wholesale that wind up in neighboring states such as Ohio, PA, MD and VA. Many travelers through the state will stop at Christmas Tree Farms and stands and purchase a tree.

A number of Farmers Markets around the state remain open this time of year and have tree farmers bring their already cut varieties in so that those who don’t want to cut their own can pick one up and take it home with them. A number of civic groups also use tree sales as a way to raise operating funds for the year.

Pictured bellow are Buddy Davis WV Department of Agriculture and Allan Hathaway Jamison Farms.