How old is my Christmas tree?

Depending on the size of the farm, small tree seedlings are planted either by hand or with a mechanical planter.

Christmas trees are grown across the U.S. The states that produce the most trees include: Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Washington.

Across the country, there are over 300,000 acres of Christmas trees. This is about 300,000 football fields full of trees! In Illinois, there are about 250 tree farms that produce about 66,000 Christmas trees each year.

Small seedlings are planted in early spring in most places. These young trees must be watered regularly as they begin to spread their roots into the soil and grow. Weeds and grass are mowed or sprayed near the trees to help the trees grow big and strong. As the years continue, the trees must be fertilized and trimmed by hand to create the "perfect" Christmas tree shape when the tree is harvested.

Most trees sold for the Christmas holiday are 5-8 years old, depending on the species and the desired height of the tree.