Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Top 10 Reasons to Buy a Fresh, Locally Grown Christmas Tree

10. While they’re growing, real Christmas trees absorb carbon dioxide and other gases and emit fresh oxygen, unlike artificial trees which are petroleum-based.

9. A real Christmas tree is biodegradable, which means it can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes, whereas an artificial tree is only used for six to nine years before it is thrown away, remaining in a landfill for many years.

8. Christmas trees can be recycled in a variety of ways, including local government programs to chip them into mulch that returns valuable nutrients to the soil. Click here for details.

7. The farms that grow Christmas trees stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide wildlife habitat while creating scenic green belts.

6. When growing in open space, a 3” in diameter Douglas fir tree can reduce atmospheric carbon by 23 pounds and intercept 102 gallons of stormwater runoff per year (Davey.com tree calculator).

5. Christmas tree growers plant one to three new seedlings for every tree they harvest, rarely using fertilizer after planting.

4. When you buy directly from a farmer, that dollar will circulate through the local economy four times, strengthening our communities.

3. When farmers are profitable, they are able to stay on the land, keeping it open and productive for the benefit of all.

2. Evergreen trees look and smell wonderful and are part of a sentimental American tradition.

1. Visiting a tree farm is great holiday fun for the entire family.

To find a Christmas tree farm near you, visit www.marylandsbest.net. 

For environmental benefits, myths versus facts about Christmas trees, how to care for your farm-grown fresh Christmas tree, or about Christmas tree varieties grown in Maryland, and the MCTA’s Choose and Cut Farm Directory, visit: www.marylandchristmastrees.org.