North Carolina Fraser Fir
The Fraser Fir is named for John Fraser, a botanist who explored the Appalachians in the late 1700’s. The only place Fraser Fir grows naturally is in the Southern Appalachian Mountains above 3,000 feet. Cool temperatures and lots of precipitation allow the trees to keep their needles throughout the Christmas season even after they have been cut. Over 90% of trees in North Carolina that are grown as Christmas trees are Fraser Fir, and the North Carolina Christmas tree industry is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested and first in the nation in terms of dollars made per tree. The National Christmas Tree Association judged the North Carolina Fraser Fir as the nation’s best Christmas tree, and it has been chosen as the official White House Christmas tree more than any other species.

Fraser Fir trees are uniformly pyramid-shaped, which makes them perfect for use as a Christmas tree. The trees reach a maximum height of about 80 feet and a trunk diameter

of about 1.5 feet. Branches turn slightly upward which makes the tree appear compact and dense. The needles on a Fraser Fir are flattened, dark green, and anywhere between ½ and 1 inch long. Not only are they the perfect color for a Christmas tree, but they have excellent needle retention, meaning they are less likely to dry out during the Christmas season and they lose fewer needles than most other species.

The combination of its perfect form and symmetry, excellent needle retention, dark blue-green color, pleasant scent, and excellent shipping durability has led to the Fraser Fir being the most popular Christmas tree species in the nation.

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Activities	NC Fraser Fir	Real vs. Fake