Real or artificial Christmas tree? Here are some tips

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — With Christmas right around the corner, one of the nation’s annual questions has reemerged, real or fake?

As in Christmas trees.

Following the trend of this year, Christmas trees have gotten more expensive, but the increase isn't due to global shipping impacts. Bad weather that occurred over a decade ago is the root cause.

Buck Wagner, owner of Making Memories Christmas Trees, 5216 E 600 S, stands for a portrait, Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 in Lafayette.
Buck Wagner, owner of Making Memories Christmas Trees, 5216 E 600 S, stands for a portrait, Monday, Nov. 22, 2021 in Lafayette.

“So last year I was caught off guard and I didn’t raise my prices, but the cost of trees went up significantly last year. In my opinion, there was a shortage of trees because of the drought that happened in 2012. For a lot of growers, their seedlings died, and they had to replant,” said Buck Wagner, owner of Making Memories Christmas Trees.

“Due to last year's shortage of trees, prices were up significantly, and I would say they’ve just gone up from last year.”

Wagner said over a two-year period, the cost of a Christmas tree has gone up by around 25 percent. Specifically, he noted that last year’s prices were up by 20 percent and this year, the cost has only increased by 5 percent.

Although when considering the drought that occurred in 2012, the higher cost of trees should only be a temporary issue. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, "It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (6-7 feet) or as little as four years, but the average growing time is 7 years," which means as of now, the trees being harvested now are mostly like from the 2012 to 2014 crop rotation.

When comparing prices of a Fraser Fir Christmas tree from Lowe’s, for example, and to Dull's Tree Farm, located in Thorntown, INd., the price difference is apparent.

On Lowe’s website before Black Friday, a 5- to 6-foot pre-cut Fraser fir was selling for around $120, while on Dull's Tree Farm website, it states that for a 6-foot pre-cut Fraser fir costs around $74.

The price of an artificial tree can vary based on the quality, style, height and whether the tree has LED lights preinstalled.

When looking on the Lowe’s website for a 5- to 6-foot artificial tree with no preinstalled LEDs, the cost can range from as low as $30 to as high as $500. An an artificial tree with pre-installed LEDs can range from around $50 to over $1,000.

Although the upfront cost of an artificial tree can seem steep, a family could keep the tree for a multitude of years, rather than facing the annual cost of buying a real tree.

“To me an artificial tree, it’s the same every year, it looks the same every year. At least with real trees, you could get different varieties and even if it’s one variety, they can be different each year. Like a Canaan fir, some will be kind of bluish-green, others are will be a little green, some will be dark green. So, there’s variety each year with your tree and it’s not just the same looking tree,” said Wagner, owner of Making Memories Christmas Trees.

Safety concerns with Christmas trees

One major concern that comes with purchasing a Christmas tree is the fear the tree may catch on fire this year.

Lafayette Fire Department Fire Inspector and Fire Investigator Todd Trent highlighted some recommendations for Hoosiers to follow when purchasing a tree.

“When choosing a tree, make sure to touch the branches and needles of the tree. If they are dry or fall off when touched, avoid that tree. It’s too dry,” said Trent.

“Before you place the tree into the stand make sure to cut 1 to 2 inches off of the base of the trunk because you want that base to get rid of that sap and allow it to suck up the water.”

Trent also recommended that families keep the tree away from any heat sources, like fireplaces, candles, personal heaters and things of that nature. He also recommended families use LED lights on their Christmas trees due to the reduced amount of heat that LED lights produced when compared to traditional lights.

“One out of every three Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems, and one out of every five is due to being too close to a heat source,” said Trent.

The fire inspector also spoke of the importance of properly maintaining a Christmas tree. Folks should make sure that the Christmas tree has an adequate amount of water within the Christmas tree stand. It's highly recommended to keep the tree fresh, because, in the case of a fire, a Christmas tree that hasn’t been watered properly and has dried up will catch on fire in seconds and be engulfed in flames in under 30 seconds.

“A well-maintained tree is key to reducing fires and keeping people safe,” said Trent.

In regards to artificial trees, the fire inspector recommended that folks purchase trees with pre-installed LEDs.

Environmental Impact

When considering a new Christmas tree, one thing that may not readily come to mind at the time of purchase is the environmental impact that comes with the purchase.

Most tree farmers aren’t just wandering into the woods and cutting down trees to sell to the public, causing massive deforestation. Normally, tree farmers are planting a variety of Christmas trees on their land, cultivating them for years, depending on the size, and operate with sustainable practices to ensure a constant product every year.

On the other hand, a bulk of artificial trees are assembled in China, use a variety of raw materials to create the product. Unlike real trees, fake trees don’t decompose when they end up in a landfill.

When comparing the two, it seems clear that buying a real tree would be more environmentally, right?

Based on a study conducted in 2010 by the American Christmas Tree Association, a non-profit organization, the study found that depending on the length in which a family keeps their artificial tree, it’ll determine the environmental impact of said tree.

“The artificial tree, used for only one year, when compared to a natural tree that is landfilled, requires roughly 3 times the non‐renewable Primary Energy Demand. However, when an artificial tree is kept for five years, the non‐renewable PED impact of a natural tree purchased every year is approximately 1.5 times greater. In 10 years, the non‐renewable PED of a natural tree is 3 times greater than that of a single reused artificial tree,” stated the study.

And although the study found that over 10 years, the amount of waste produced from 10 real trees compared to one artificial tree is significant, the study also found that in regards to the Global Warming Potential impact of a real tree, its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air is preferable trait when compared to an artificial tree.

“The GWP impact of a natural tree that is landfilled is always negative; therefore, from a GWP perspective, a natural tree that is landfilled is always environmentally preferable to an artificial tree. During cultivation, the natural tree sequesters carbon and stores it in the tree’s biomass. When the tree is landfilled, only 23% of the stored carbon is released; the remaining 77% is sequestered in the landfill for more than 100 years (EPA 2006),” stated the study.

Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: The Pros and Cons of a Real or Artificial Christmas tree