7 Fun Facts About Christmas Trees

Kirsten SchraderUpdated: Nov. 15, 2023

Courtesy Nancy Tully/Country magazine

They're a holiday staple, but you probably didn't know these Christmas tree facts. Share these fun facts about Christmas trees with your family during the holidays.

Fresh Christmas Trees Are Popular

Here’s one fun fact about Christmas trees. Each year about 30 million American families enjoy a fresh, real Christmas tree during the holiday season.

Need decorating ideas? Check out nature and bird Christmas tree ornaments we love.

How Long Does It Take to Grow a Christmas Tree?

On average, it takes Christmas trees seven years to reach their standard retail height of 6 or 7 feet, perfect for most homes.

Check out the top fast growing trees to add beauty to your backyard.

Number of Christmas Tree Farms in America

About 17,000 farms produce conifers for the holiday market. Some even offer the opportunity to choose and cut your own, which can be a fun family outing.

Have a small space? Check out the top 10 dwarf conifers.

Christmas Trees Are Sustainable

Don’t feel guilty about buying a fresh tree—you’re not ruining a pristine forest. About 98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms as sustainable crops.

Learn how to make a tomato cage Christmas tree for birds.

Future Christmas Trees Are Growing Now

For every tree they harvest, Christmas tree growers plant one to three new seedlings the following spring to ensure a constant supply. Close to 350 million trees planted by farmers are growing now and will end up in homes across the country.

Discover the best types of Christmas trees you can grow.

First Christmas Tree in Written History

The first written record of a decorated Christmas tree is from Latvia in 1510. It says the tree was decorated with artificial roses. In the 1800s, German settlers brought the Christmas tradition to the U.S.

The Top States for Growing Christmas Trees

Many Christmas trees are from the top six states for Christmas tree production:

- Michigan
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Wisconsin
- Washington

Want more surprising facts about a holiday plant? Check out: 8 Facts About Christmas Cactus

Originally Published: November 18, 2020

Kirsten Schrader

Kirsten has more than 15 years of experience writing and editing birding and gardening content. As content director of Birds & Blooms, she leads the team of editors and freelance writers sharing tried-and-true advice for nature enthusiasts who love to garden and feed birds in their backyards. Since joining Birds & Blooms 17 years ago, Kirsten has held roles in digital and print, editing direct-to-consumer books, running as many as five magazines as a time and managing special interest publications. Kirsten has traveled to see amazing North American birds, and attended various festivals, including Sedona Hummingbird Festival, Rio Grande Bird Festival, The Biggest Week in American Birding Festival and Cape May Spring Festival. She has also witnessed the epic sandhill crane migration while on a photography workshop trip to Colorado. Kirsten has participated in several GardenComm and Outdoor Writers Association of America annual conferences and is a member of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology. When she's not researching, writing and editing all things birding and gardening, Kirsten is enjoying the outdoors with her nature-loving family. She and her husband are slowly chipping away at making their small acreage the backyard of their dreams.