BOONE, N.C. – Christmas tree farmers in North Carolina are making a roaring comeback in the state after Hurricane Helene destroyed so much for the industry.
The extensive damage from Helene is estimated to exceed tens of billions of dollars. Officials estimate that 82,000 acres of timberland were damaged or destroyed across dozens of counties during the storm.
A rescue team paddles down the Swannanoa River on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.
(Travis Long/The News & Observer/Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
Farmers were devastated when Helene tore through much of the state, making it the 10th-costliest weather disaster in the U.S. since 1980, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In total, Helene claimed the lives of 249 people in seven states, according to data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
Swannanoa, NC — October 1 : Members of the Illinois Water Rescue One team search through debris for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Swannanoa, North Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 01, 2024.
(Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post / Getty Images)
Since then, some businesses have seen a resurgence in the market, partially due to this year’s costs and imposed tariffs.
Joey Clawson, part of Clawson’s Christmas Trees, shared that other businesses in the industry rallied together to help one another amid the devastation of Hurricane Helene, leaving some families with absolutely nothing due to widespread damage.
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TOPSHOT – A local police car is seen half engulfed in mud, in a flooded area of Lake Lure, North Carolina, October 2, 2024, after the passage of Hurricane Helene. The death toll from powerful storm Helene, which battered the southeastern United States, has climbed to at least 155, authorities said on October 1, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris prepared to survey the damage. (Photo by Allison Joyce / AFP) (Photo by ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Allison Joyce / AFP / Getty Images)
“We’ve seen a resurgence of the younger generation wanting a real tree,” said Clawson. “We are very optimistic that the next several years will be really good and increase sales.”
This is pleasant news considering most American families have a Christmas tree in their homes, and 81% of those are artificial, according to the American Christmas Tree Association.
A Christmas tree farm is pictured in the small town of Newland, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, on December 6, 2025. According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, the state grows more than 26% of the Christmas trees in the US and is ranked second in the nation in number of trees harvested. More than 40,000 acres is estimated to be in Christmas tree production.
(Allison Joyce / AFP / Getty Images)
This is due to this year’s rising costs from tariffs, which have families jumping at the chance to get the real thing for the holiday.
