Christmas tree growers in western North Carolina are rebuilding after Hurricane Helene but report healthy holiday sales and cautious optimism. The October 2024 storm killed at least 95 people and caused an estimated $125 million in losses to ornamental nurseries and tree farms. Some operations, like Avery Farms, lost tens of thousands of trees and planted tens of thousands more this spring; full recovery will take years because Fraser firs require six to 12 years to reach harvest size. Industry leaders say favorable 2025 growing conditions and strong public support are helping the region recover.
North Carolina Christmas Tree Farms Rebuild After Hurricane Helene — Sales Hold Steady as Recovery Continues
Avery Farms, a family-owned Christmas tree farm in Avery county, North Carolina, on 6 February.Photograph: The Washington Post/Getty Images
Christmas tree growers across western North Carolina are still repairing widespread damage left by Hurricane Helene in October 2024, but many report healthy holiday sales and guarded optimism about the region’s long-term recovery.
“There’s still a lot of recovery that needs to happen, but we’re in much better shape than we were this time last year … sales are good,” said Kevin Gray, owner of Hickory Creek Farm Christmas Trees in Greensboro, as the buying season reached its peak.
North Carolina is the nation’s second-largest Christmas tree producer, harvesting about 4 million trees annually—mostly Fraser firs grown in the western counties. When shoppers decorate trees this season, relatively few pause to consider the labor and decades-long investment that go into growing them.
In October 2024, Helene tore through the region as a powerful storm, killing at least 95 people and causing severe damage to homes, farms, roads and other infrastructure. Officials estimated roughly $125 million in losses to ornamental nurseries and Christmas tree operations alone.
A year later, full recovery remains out of reach for some farms, but many growers said holiday sales were lively and demand strong.
Long-Term Rebuilding Underway
Avery Farms, a family business in Avery County with roots stretching back two centuries, lost roughly 80,000 trees and suffered major damage to fields, equipment and buildings. The storm also destroyed the home of the farm manager’s parents. That fall the family salvaged what they could—selling a limited selection of trees, wreaths, boughs and makeshift tabletop trees made from salvaged tops.
This spring the Averys planted about 20,000 new trees as part of a long-term plan to restore pre-Helene output. Fraser firs typically take six to 12 years to reach harvest size, so recovery is a multiyear effort. “It’s going to be a while, but that’s the whole game that we play doing Christmas trees. It’s a very long-term investment,” Graham Avery said.
Despite reduced inventory, Avery Farms reported very strong sales this season and doubled its wreath output, shipping products nationwide.
Community Resilience and Industry Support
Other growers shared similar stories. Dee Clark of Christmas Corner and C&G Nursery said Helene — and the subsequent loss of a local road — caused retail sales to plunge last year, but early indications this season look promising after focused repairs, replanting and a social-marketing push.
At Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm, landslides stripped topsoil and removed as many as 10,000 trees. The family repaired infrastructure quickly and staged a relatively normal harvest last fall; one of their trees was even chosen to be displayed at the White House, a selection many locals saw as a powerful symbol of regional resilience.
“That Christmas tree represented a lot of people problem-solving,” said Jamie Bookwalter, an extension specialist at North Carolina State University. The effort showcased the region’s practical resilience and the growers’ dedication.
Growing Conditions, Climate Concerns and Research
Industry leaders also noted positive growing conditions in 2025. Jennifer Greene, executive director of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, said a favorable spring and harvest weather helped this season’s outlook. Still, extension specialists warn that farming is becoming more challenging as weather becomes less predictable: wetter wet periods, drier dry periods, and an increased need for tree varieties resilient to new climate patterns.
Researchers at NC State and elsewhere are working on breeding and selecting trees with greater resilience to pests, disease and changing weather. Extension specialists stressed that public support—buying a tree from local growers or retailers—directly helps small farms rebuilding after the storm.
What Comes Next
Recovery will take years for many operations. Farms are clearing and replanting fields, rebuilding homes and infrastructure, and adjusting business plans—while continuing to supply millions of holiday trees each year. For now, growers say the industry remains robust and that community support and sound growing seasons can make a big difference in accelerating recovery.
