Following what is on track to be the hottest year on record and historic drought that’s stricken much of the U.S., concern is spreading regarding the future of the nation’s more than a billion-dollar Christmas tree industry.
Each year, tens of millions of the trees are sold during the holiday season as part of a tradition that goes back to the 1700s in the U.S. Up to 20 different tree species are grown each year, with about 14.5 million cut in 2022. Some are imported from Canada, while nearly 350 million real Christmas trees are growing on farms in all 50 states.
