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Across the country, artificial Christmas trees remain more popular than their natural counterparts — even in Connecticut, which is home to 4,039 acres of tree farms, according to 2022 USDA data.

Nationwide, 83% of households choosing to display a tree this holiday season opted for artificial, but the American Farm Bureau urged consumers to choose natural. Natural trees support domestic jobs while most artificial trees are imported from overseas, and the Bureau also argued real trees have positive environmental impacts. 

The Connecticut Christmas Tree Association lists 77 farms that sell Christmas trees in the state, but there are hundreds more than that. While some farms are closed for the season, Connecticut is home to 547 operations with areas in production, according to 2022 USDA data — so the state is not lacking in Christmas trees. 

A 2019 census from the United States Department of Agriculture found that, in Connecticut, there were 110,000 trees being grown that would be ready to harvest this holiday season. If those numbers remain accurate, Connecticut will take 14th place for tree inventory this year. But that doesn’t mean all those trees were sold, especially with the popularity of artificial trees.

A tree needs seven to 10 years of growth to reach the heights that most consumers expect, typically spending their first years in nurseries. Due to their ability to extract carbon from the atmosphere, many argue that real trees should be purchased.

However, real trees are not always the most environmentally friendly option. Artificial tree production does use significant energy, and most of these trees are made in China, so they have to be shipped overseas. But depending on the disposal method, real trees may cause environmental harm, especially if incinerated.

The National Wildlife Federation found that, if used for five to 10 years, an artificial tree will leave less of a carbon footprint than purchasing a real tree each year. But other sources, like the Nature Conservancy, say the environmental benefits of a real tree outweigh the negatives.

Price, however, is also a factor for many in choosing their tree. Artificial tree costs spiked this year but still could pay off in the long run compared to a real tree.

Since China is the primary producer of artificial trees, costs have risen under the tariffs.

Sasha is a data reporting fellow with The Connecticut Mirror. She graduated from the University of Maryland in May with a degree in journalism and a minor in creative writing. For the past year Sasha was working part time for the Herald-Mail, a newspaper based in Western Maryland. She was also a reporter and copy editor for Capital News Service, the university’s wire service where she covered the state legislature, the Baltimore Key Bridge collapse, school board elections, youth mental health and climate change. Earlier in her college career, Sasha also interned at the Baltimore Magazine and wrote for numerous student publications including the Diamondback, the university’s independent, student-run newspaper.