For many people in Florida, the holiday season wouldn’t feel complete without the fresh scent of a real Christmas tree in their home. But this year, finding the perfect tree might be harder than usual, and the surprising reason is Hurricane Helene.
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, swept through the Southeastern U.S., causing massive damage. One of the hardest-hit areas was North Carolina, known for its Christmas tree farms. These farms are a key source of Christmas trees across the country, and the storm severely disrupted their operations.
Growing Christmas trees takes a lot of time and care. It can take 6 to 12 years for a tree to grow to the right size, and they need just the right mix of sunlight, rain, and good soil to thrive. Unfortunately, Hurricane Helene’s heavy rains and earlier droughts created the perfect storm for disaster, damaging thousands of trees.
The storm caused flooding and landslides in western North Carolina, destroying many farms and years of hard work. It’s estimated that the damage to these farms totals about $125 million. On top of that, roads and infrastructure were badly damaged, making it even harder for farmers to start recovering.
Experts say that extreme weather events like hurricanes, heatwaves, and droughts are happening more often and with greater intensity because of climate change. This is a growing problem for Christmas tree farmers, who also face threats from pests and diseases made worse by warmer winters.
Despite these setbacks, Christmas tree farmers are determined to bounce back. They’re working hard to recover and looking into new ways to protect their trees from extreme weather and pests. Researchers are also studying how to make trees stronger and more resilient for the future.