Whether they’re shimmering with lights or dripping with snow, the holidays are synonymous with evergreens — specifically, Fraser firs. Whichever way you appreciate this holiday centerpiece, here’s what you should know about the industry here in North Cackalacky.
- The most common Christmas tree in North America – and the one mostly grown in WNC – is the Fraser fir. It represents more than 99.4% of all species grown here.
- The first Frasers to be sold commercially as Christmas trees came from federal forest land on Roan Mountain in North Carolina in the 1950s.
- Fraser firs are the sole fir tree indigenous to the Great Smoky Mountains, and can only be found in Southern Appalachia at elevations above 3,900 feet. These trees provide important habitat for rare animals + plants, including the spruce-fir moss spider and the northern flying squirrel.
- More than 20% of all real Christmas trees in the country come from North Carolina, making the Tarheel State the second largest producer of Christmas trees in the country (after Oregon).
- Fraser fir trees have been chosen as the official White House Christmas tree 14 times — more than any other state.
- These trees can grow up to 55 feet in the wild.
