Christmas Tree Genetics Program
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Overview:
The Christmas tree industry is of great economic importance to the state of North Carolina. Here are just a few interesting facts about the North Carolina Christmas Tree Industry.
- NC Christmas trees are worth over $100 million annually in wholesale, ranking NC first in the nation for wholesale value.
- 5.5 to 6 million Christmas trees are harvested annually, ranking NC 2nd in the nation for number harvested.
- Over 20,000 acres are used for Christmas tree production in NC.
- There are approximately 2,500 Christmas tree growers in NC.
- 95% of harvested Christmas trees are Fraser fir, produced in 24 western NC counties.
- Additional NC Christmas tree species include Virginia pine, eastern redcedar, eastern white pine, and Leyland cypress.
Goals:
The Christmas Tree Genetics Program strives to improve the growth, quality and pest resistance of Christmas tree species important to North Carolina including Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Eastern white pine and Eastern redcedar. It also screens new species and is conducting genetic conservation efforts for Fraser fir, a globally threatened species.
Many challenging research topics face this relatively young program including:
- Tree improvement of Christmas tree species important to the state of North Carolina (Fraser fir, Virginia pine, eastern white pine, eastern redcedar).
- Screening of new Christmas tree species.
- Development of clonal propagation systems for Christmas trees.
- Genetic conservation of Fraser fir, a species threatened by an introduced pest, the balsam wooly adelgid.
- Development of Fraser fir resistant to Phytophthora root rot.
For more information on the Christmas Tree Genetics Program, contact one of the program's personnel.
Find out more about Christmas Tree Research and Extension >>
