Holidays & Occasions Christmas How Fast Do Christmas Trees Grow? We love seeing Christmas trees growing sky-high. By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on March 5, 2023 Fact checked by Jennifer Hawk Fact checked by Jennifer Hawk Jennifer Hawk is a former English professor with 24 years of experience guiding even the most reluctant through the labyrinths of writing, rhetoric, and research. brand's fact checking process In This Article View All In This Article Average Christmas Tree Growing Time Fast-Growing Christmas Trees Average-Growing Christmas Trees Slow-Growing Christmas Trees Additional Christmas Trees Close Photo: Danita Delimont / Getty Images Millions of Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. annually to situate in stands, decorate for the holidays, and enjoy all season long. Growing these trees is serious business. One of the top Christmas tree-producing states in the country is North Carolina, a state responsible for an enormous number of Fraser fir trees each year. With all those trees, we can't help but wonder: How long does it take a Christmas tree to grow? Read on for a roundup of Christmas trees that grow in the South, listed by typical growing speeds from fast to slow. Average Christmas Tree Growing Time Throughout the country and worldwide, people decorate many different types of trees for Christmas, so there's no single answer to that question. Popular trees used for the holidays include fir, pine, spruce, cypress, and cedar. Of those, Fraser fir (Abies fraseri), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), and Leyland cypress (Cuprocyparis leylandii) are favorites of the Southern states. Each species has distinct soil and water needs, making some grow more quickly than others. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, "It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of typical height (six to seven feet) or as little as four years, but the average growing time is seven years." Fast-Growing Christmas Trees Leyland Cypress The sapless Leyland cypress (Cuprocyparis leylandii or ) is a popular Christmas tree in the American South. In the right environment, Leyland cypress grows quickly, often up to three feet per year for young trees. Arizona Cypress Arizona cypress (Hesperocyparis arizonica) grows in Arizona and west Texas. It is also amenable to growing in southeastern states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, parts of the Florida panhandle, and North Carolina. Susan Sheldon / EyeEm / Getty Images Average-Growing Christmas Trees Fraser Fir The Southern-favorite Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) tree has an average growth period of about seven years. Fraser fir grows throughout the southern Appalachian region in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, in North Carolina, the Fraser fir "requires from seven to 10 years in the field to produce a six to seven feet tree." Canaan Fir Canaan fir (Abies balsamea var. phanerolepies), similar to Fraser and balsam firs, is found in Virginia and West Virginia. It grows at a relatively average rate of two to three feet per year. Slow-Growing Christmas Trees Eastern Redcedar Despite its name, the Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a juniper rather than a cedar and grows at a slow to medium rate. The growth rate is around one to two feet per year when planted. The Eastern redcedar grows in areas beyond the South. Primarily it grows in Texas and Oklahoma. Virginia Pine According to the University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture, the growth rate of Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) is slow. Still, the species can reach heights 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide in the right conditions. Found in Virginia and Kentucky, its growing range extends South to Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Additional Christmas Trees Other Christmas trees grown outside the South are often shipped nationwide, including the Douglas fir. It grows to full size in seven to 10 years. Also, the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), white spruce (Picea glauca), and white pine (Pinus strobus) are varieties of popular Christmas trees. Will you be visiting a Christmas tree farm this season? What's your favorite type of Christmas tree to decorate for the holidays? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Darr MN, Coyle DR, Jetton RM. Arthropod and disease management in Fraser fir (Pinales: Pinaceae) christmas trees in the southeastern United States. J Integr Pest Manag. 2022;1:8. doi:10.1093/jipm/pmac001 National Christmas Tree Association. Quick tree facts. Missouri Botanical Garden. × Cuprocyparis leylandii. U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants Database. Hesperocyparis arizonica. Dale AG, Birdsell T, Sidebottom J. Evaluating the invasive potential of an exotic scale insect associated with annual Christmas tree harvest and distribution in the southeastern US. Trees, Forests and People. 2020;2:100013. doi:10.1016/j.tfp.2020.100013 National Christmas Tree Association. Fraser fir. U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants Database. Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants Database. Juniperus virginiana L. University of Kentucky Department of Horticulture. Virginia pine.