Prices have been climbing fairly consistently ever since, when fewer trees were sold and growers made a reasonable profit for the first time in years, according to the association.
Compare that to the $80 that Americans pay on average for a reusable artificial tree, according to Balsam Hill’s Harman, who added that prices tend to be closer to about $250 at most retailers such as Home Depot Inc., but the average drops due to sales of $40 trees from discount department stores such as Walmart Inc.
Although most people favor artificial trees, less planting and continued demand for real trees has led to tight supply since 2015.
Dale Barker, owner of Barker’s Christmas Tree Farm in Lexington, Ky., said he’s had trouble keeping up with demand since he sold his first tree in 2002. Back then, Barker said he sold 300 trees in a month. In recent years, he said he has sold 1,000 to 1,200 in a two- to three-day period.
This year, when he opens on Nov. 27, he isn’t taking any risks when it comes to social distancing.
“We knew we couldn’t do the same thing we always have,” he said. “Everyone wants to come and get the biggest and the best trees as soon as we open up, but we knew we had to spread people out this year.”
Barker’s farm is using a reservation system, and plenty of hand sanitizer, this year, and saw 700 people sign up in the first week of November alone.
Big-box retailers are also expecting that shoppers will be interested in real Christmas trees this year. Lowe’s Cos., for instance, is offering delivery of fresh, local Christmas trees for those who want real trees but don’t feel comfortable venturing out to cut down their own.
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