Helene was a devastating storm that spared no region of North Carolina, including the state's Christmas tree industry – the second-largest in the U.S.The trees grown in the western part of the state are renowned for their quality, including soft needles, long-lasting aroma and strong branches. North Carolina Fraser fir trees are popular worldwide and have been chosen for the White House Christmas tree multiple times.
The Tar Heel State boasts approximately 1,300 growers cultivating Fraser fir trees on an estimated 40,000 acres, with 96% of the production concentrated in the western North Carolina mountain region, according to the association."Christmas tree farming is a livelihood and a large economic contributor to the western North Carolina mountain region," Greene, said.