COLLEGE STATION, Texas – More than four million real Christmas trees are sold annually in Texas, supporting farms and agriculture businesses throughout the state. As the holiday season nears, Texas A&M Forest Service encourages purchasing real Christmas trees to help boost the Texas economy.

A 2022 Texas A&M Forest Service economic study revealed that the Texas Christmas tree industry generated economic impacts amounting to more than $714 million, including direct, indirect and induced impacts while supporting nearly 6,000 jobs. Of $714 million in total impacts, the Texas Christmas tree industry had a direct economic impact of $397 million, employing 3,896 people with a payroll of more than $97 million.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2022 ranks the Texas Christmas tree industry second in the U.S. South based on average annual employment and wages.

“It’s a tradition in many households to have a real Christmas tree,” said Dr. Aaron Stottlemyer, Texas A&M Forest Service Forest Analytics Department Head. “The process of going as a family to pick out a tree is a fun activity that supports rural economies across the state.”   Texas Christmas trees also boost the state’s economy through strong agricultural businesses and tourism which exposes families and visitors of all ages to the forestry and agriculture industry. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agritourism revenue has more than tripled from 2002 to 2017, with human interaction and visitor engagement majorly contributing to its rise in popularity.

“Many Christmas tree farms across the state have made enhancements to their businesses to incorporate more engaging and educational activities for visitors along with selecting and purchasing a Christmas tree,” said Stottlemyer. “The demand for this type of experience is also consistent with the demand for live, community-oriented activities across the country.”

The USDA also found that agritourism, including Christmas tree farms, aided in the economic sustainability of local, rural farms and created new jobs. The most widely grown Texas Christmas trees are the Virginia pine, Afghan pine, eastern redcedar shortleaf pine, Arizona cypress and Leyland cypress.

The first recorded Christmas tree plantation was established in Jasper, Texas, in 1935. Since the 1970s, institutions like Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M University and Stephen F. Austin have worked toward optimizing the health and growth of Christmas tree species to enhance the State’s Christmas tree industry. “The Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association and Texas A&M Forest Service have been collaborating since the early 1980s,” said Fred Raley, Texas A&M Forest Service Tree Improvement Coordinator. “The collaboration has worked to develop locally adapted Virginia pines, especially hardy and adapted to the Texas climate, to ensure that those that prefer a live tree can continue to have that Christmas experience for a very long time.”

Since the introduction of the Virginia pine improvement project, beginning in Magnolia Springs, Texas, the demand for this Christmas tree species has grown to 150,000 seedlings among growers in Central, East and North Texas. “The demand for real Christmas trees and associated activities among Texans continues to grow alongside the demand to expand the overall Texas Christmas tree industry and species variety,” said Raley. “As this industry continues to grow, we’ve also seen an increase in younger individuals who are interested in establishing Christmas tree businesses.”

In anticipation of spring 2025 planting, the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association recently reported that Texas growers have already purchased more than 130,000 seedlings.

In the U.S., the sale of real Christmas trees has decreased since 2018, and the sale of artificial trees has been higher than real trees since 2020. But choosing a real Christmas tree should always be considered. Not only is harvesting Christmas trees good for our economy, but it is also beneficial to the natural environment.

After the holiday season, real Christmas trees can be repurposed and recycled for many uses. Real Christmas trees can be used as landscape mulch in yards and gardens as soil erosion prevention, nest-building materials for birds and natural water habitats for fish and wildlife in ponds or lakes.

“Christmas tree farms are young forests,” said Stottlemyer. “They provide us the same benefits as traditional forests by sequestering carbon, providing a natural habitat for wildlife, cleaning our water and providing recreational opportunities.”

Real Christmas tree shoppers can visit Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association website to explore the different Christmas tree farms in each Texas region.