Christmas trees (30 Things)

 

1.) Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.

little-brown-birds-in-evergreen-tree
2.) Recycled trees have been used to make sand and soil erosion barriers and been placed in ponds for fish shelter.

3.) Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air.

4.) Artificial trees will last for six years in your home, but for centuries in a landfill.

5.) An acre of Christmas trees provides for the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.

Christmas trees grow in Oregon
6.) Thirty-four to thirty-six million Christmas trees are produced each year and 95 percent are shipped or sold directly from Christmas tree farms.

7.) More than one million acres of land have been planted in Christmas trees. The industry employs over 100,000 people. Many Christmas tree growers grow trees on a part-time basis to supplement farm and non-farm income.

8.) More than 2,000 trees are usually planted per acre. On an average 1,000-1,500 of these trees will survive. In the North, maybe, 750 trees will remain.

9.) Almost all trees require shearing to attain the Christmas tree shape.

real Christmas tree

10.) At six to seven feet, trees are ready for harvest, fighting heavy rain, wind, hail, pests and drought to become a mature tree.

11.) Christmas trees take an average of 7-10 years to mature.

12.) 98 percent of all Christmas trees are grown on farms.

Christmas-tree-farm

13.) California, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina are the top Christmas tree producing states.

14.) The best selling trees are Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Noble fir, Fraser fir, Virginia pine, Balsam fir and white pine.

15.) Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska.

16.) In North America, there are more than 15,000 Christmas tree growers.

17.) In the United States, there are more than 12,000 cut-your-own farms.

18.) The first Christmas tree retail lot in the United States was started in 1851 in New York by Mark Carr.

19.) 2-3 seedlings are planted for every harvested Christmas tree.

20.) Helicopters sometimes help to lift harvested Christmas trees from farms.

Helicopter_Christmas_Tree_Harvest
21.) Since 1971, the Province of Nova Scotia has presented the Boston Christmas Tree tree to the people of Boston in gratitude for the relief supplies received from the citizens of Boston after a ship exploded in 1917 following a collision in the Halifax, Nova Scotia Harbor. Part of the city was leveled killing and injuring thousands.

Boston Christmas Tree
22.) In 1856 Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, was the first President to place a Christmas tree in the White House.

23.) President Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn in 1923.

24.) Teddy Roosevelt banned the Christmas tree from the White House for environmental reasons.

25.) In 1963, the National Christmas Tree was not lighted until December 22nd because of a national 30-day period of mourning following the assassination of President Kennedy.

26.) Since 1966, the National Christmas Tree Association has given a Christmas tree to the President and first family.

27.) In 1979, the National Christmas Tree was not lighted except for the top ornament? This was done in honor of the American hostages in Iran.

president-carter-national-christmas-tree-1979
28.) In 1984, the National Christmas was lit on December 13th with temperatures in the 70’s, making it one of the warmest tree lightings in history.

29.) You should never burn your Christmas tree in the fireplace. it can contribute to creosote buildup.

30.) In the first week, a tree in your home will consume as much as a quart of water per day.

Source:

All this great info and more, was found at:

http://pickyourownchristmastree.org/facts.php