Source: MORNING AG CLIPS, 12/27/20

During the holiday season in the U.S., more than 20 million freshly cut Christmas trees are sold every year, with fir trees topping the most-desired list. Unfortunately growers cannot meet the needs of consumers, and every year, there is a shortage of trees, primarily due to the incredible losses of susceptible firs — including balsam, Fraser, Canaan and others — to the root fungus Phytophthora. This affects consumers in Georgia and other Southeastern states, as more than 50% of the region’s fresh-cut trees are imported.

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