UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu

November 24, 2004

Feature Article - for release the week of November 28, 2004

Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent

 Real Trees for Trimming

The turkey is gone, Black Friday has zipped by, and many Floridians are now looking forward to one of the traditional signs of the rapidly approaching holiday season – the Christmas tree.   According to the National Christmas Tree Association, last year Americans spent an average of $33.80 for the real trees that were displayed in approximately 23 million homes last year.  Those purchasing fake trees spent twice as much for a tree last year, a trend that seems to be increasing in the holiday household.

Today’s column will highlight a few of the pros and cons of real Christmas trees,  point readers to where they might enjoy a holiday tradition of cutting their own tree, and bring to light a few new marketing approaches used by the Christmas tree industry this year.

Fake trees can be purchased once and used for several years, and are appreciated by those that feel the bother and a few dropped needles are too much.  Throughout the 1990s, the trend has been towards an increasing number of households using fake trees, while the number of homes with real trees has remained steady.  

Last year, more money was earned by the growers of this agricultural product than the peddlers of artificial trees.  In addition to supporting domestic jobs, Christmas tree growers provide green open spaces which support wildlife as valuable by-products of their efforts.  Today’s Christmas trees are grown as a crop, not an exploitative harvest of our forested woodlands.

Scholarships, trips, discounts and games

The enjoyment of a real Christmas tree with its genuine aroma and realistic look are still appealing to many, and the Christmas tree industry has stepped up to the challenge of fakeness.  Here are some of the industry sweeteners available to consumers this year:

 

Nationally, only 22% of real tree purchasers went out to the farm to cut their own tree.  For those that want to experience a wonderful family outing, there are a few places in Florida where you can choose and cut you own tree.  The closest locations to us are outside of Tampa and Daytona Beach, and I can provide you with addresses and phone numbers if you can not get to the Florida Christmas Tree Association website. Here's a map of where they are located:

Be sure to care for your Christmas tree properly and offer it for recycling after the holidays are over.   If you need more information on Christmas trees, poinsettias, holiday fire safety or mistletoe, check out our Holiday news articles from last year on our website, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  Be sure to visit our Master Gardeners on Tuesday afternoons and if you need additional information on Real Christmas Trees, call or stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North.  Our phone number is 763-6469, and you can email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information.  They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named.  The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Larry Arrington, Dean for Extension. Last update: 11/21/2006 .  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert 

 "WEBlinks"

Florida Department of Agriculture - Christmas Tree site: http://www.florida-agriculture.com/xmastree/index.htm 

Choosing Your Christmas Tree [December 2003 article by Dan Culbert]  http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/Choose%20A%20Tree.htm 

National Christmas Tree Association webpage http://www.realchristmastrees.org