(2-Minute Read) By Joey Pitchford. RALEIGH, N.C. — The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes Christmas tree shopping. With tariffs and extreme weather putting pressure on local growers and overseas importers alike, many shoppers are wondering what to expect when buying a tree this year.

In the mountains of North Carolina, where Christmas trees are grown, Hurricane Helene brought devastating floods which led many to fear for the health of the industry. Growers may have escaped the worst of the damage, however, said Justin Whitehill, assistant professor in the North Carolina State University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

For consumers, this could translate into surprisingly affordable trees this year.

“Contrary to popular belief, the tree crops themselves were not hit particularly hard. Christmas trees are grown at such high elevations that they are less vulnerable to flood waters,” he said. “The damage was centered around a few processing facilities, and the overall impact there was minimal as well. There are a few growers who were significantly impacted, but the industry as a whole is still in a healthy place.”

For consumers, this could translate into surprisingly affordable trees this year. While there is no broad consensus on tree pricing, Whitehill said that many growers are aiming to keep costs low.

Growers may benefit from increased demand caused by the federal government’s tariffs on Chinese-made artificial trees…

“From what they’re telling us, growers want to keep prices in line with last year or lower,” he said. “Everyone sets their own prices, and some will always push the envelope. However, growers this year are cognizant of the challenges most American families are facing and want to be inclusive and not scare anyone off.”

Growers may benefit from increased demand caused by the federal government’s tariffs on Chinese-made artificial trees. Those trees may be subject to tariffs anywhere from 30 to 90%, according to the National Christmas Tree Association, which may help drive consumers to buy real trees.

Growers this year are cognizant of the challenges most American families are facing and want to be inclusive — and not scare anyone off.

Whitehill said that buyers should expect a healthy crop to choose from when heading to the Christmas tree lot this year. While it is important to pay attention to the growers who were disrupted, he said, there is much to be excited about when it comes to the Christmas tree industry in North Carolina.

“Despite how damaging Hurricane Helene was for the western part of the state, people should understand that the Christmas tree business is doing quite well. North Carolina’s tree numbers this year are just as strong if not better than in previous seasons,” he said. “With the price of artificial trees going up, this is shaping up to be a strong year for growers here in North Carolina.”