Michigan evergreens in their natural habitat. (Photo: Michigan Christmas Tree Association)
Michigan families hoping to take home real Christmas trees -- pine aroma, needles and all -- may be disappointed this month. Demand exceeds supply, growers say.
With roughly two million evergreens harvested annually, Michigan is the third-largest Christmas source after Oregon and North Carolina. However, more trees may need to be planted to satisfy consumers. Sales increase about 20-30 percent each year, says the co-owner of Hillside Christmas Tree Farm near Manchester in Washtenaw County.
The uptick may be due to -- gasp -- millennials ditching the tacky charm of the plastic tree, a trade association director in Durand tells The Detroit News.
"Millennials want a real Christmas tree. They're going to Christmas tree farms for the experience. They want to take their families to the farm, like they take them to the cider mill, and create memories."
A Cadillac farm manager says limited supply -- especially for Fraser firs -- won’t necessarily mean a treeless holiday for some disappointed families
"Anybody in any ZIP code who wants a real Christmas tree will find one. It just may not be the exact species or retailer they want to purchase from."
But expect to pay more -- reportedly about $5 more for a smaller tree, and $10 to $15 more for a larger one.
