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Christmas trees are selling out. Here’s where you can still find them near Charlotte

If we’ve learned anything in the past nine months, it’s that nothing is normal in 2020 – and believe it or not, that extends to Christmas trees.

It’s normal for Americans to start buying Christmas trees after Thanksgiving. This year, that normal response ballooned to an early mad dash as Charlotteans flocked to fell their favorite firs to combat COVID-19 cabin fever. Who can blame them?

“We have seen extreme interest in people wanting to be out here to cut a tree and find joy and get things going for the holidays — and also just get outside,” said Doug Sidell with Grace Tree Farm in Denver. “It’s not us only. It’s everybody.”

Now, Christmas tree numbers are low, but that early rush is not the only reason. More than 10 years ago, during the Great Recession, farmers either planted fewer Christmas trees or went out of business entirely. A decade later – roughly the time it takes for a Christmas tree to fully grow – those lower planting numbers have led to lower supplies.

Many local Christmas tree shops have already sold out. That includes Sidell’s Grace Tree Farm – which sold out of choose-and-cut trees just six days after it opened.

“We’ll probably sell out before the weekend – it’ll be the earliest we’ve ever sold out,” said Bill Cline with Cedar Lake Tree Farm in Iron Station.

Families make a tradition of traveling to the N.C. mountains for choose-and-cut Christmas trees.
Families make a tradition of traveling to the N.C. mountains for choose-and-cut Christmas trees.

The moral of the story: If you haven’t bought your Christmas tree yet, it’s high time to do so as soon as possible. CharlotteFive has gathered a list of places that still have the beloved trees in stock, to help you find your perfect Christmas tree while they’re still available. We are still waiting to hear back from several places, so if you don’t see your favorite spot listed, check back soon and we’ll update as we hear from them.

Adam Faulk Tanksley Foundation Christmas Tree Lot

Address: 305 Reid Dairy Road, Waxhaw

Travel time: 30 minutes

Hours: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 or 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Phone: (704) 502-9337

Price: Depends on tree size; roughly $15 per foot

Extra: Wreaths, garlands, candles, decorations

More information: About 700 trees between 4’ and 14’ available as of December 4. All proceeds go toward Levine Children’s Hospital pediatric cancer research.

Cedar Lake Tree Farm

Address: 5829 East Highway 28, Iron Station

Travel time: 43 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (704) 735-6997

Varieties: Fraser Fir

Price: $20 – $300, tabletop to 15’

Extras: Haystacks, farm animals, country store

Charlotte Christmas Trees

Address: Delivery only (Charlotte and surrounding areas)

Phone: (866) 400-1564

Variety: Frasier fire (several still available)

Cost: $75 – $240 (5’ to 12’)

Variety: Frasier fir

More information: Send all orders through its website; orders will be received that day and delivered the next. Delivery crew follows COVID-19 protocol and offers full set-up.

Christy’s Nursery and Landscaping

Address: 2400 Concord Parkway S, Concord

Travel time: 26 minutes

Hours: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, closed Sunday

Phone: (704) 782-4637

Variety: Frasier firs, Norway spruce

Price: $40 – $120

Extra: Wreaths, poinsettias, Christmas baskets

More information: A considerable selection as of Dec. 4.

Chritsy’s Nursery in Concord
Chritsy’s Nursery in Concord

Elk River Evergreens

Address: 121 Brooks Shell Road in Elk Park (Ellis Family Farm location), 60 Buck Mountain Road in Elk Park, North Carolina (Orchard Farm location)

Travel time: 2 hours 20 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday (last day Dec 6)

Variety: Fraser fir

Phone: (828) 387-7695

Price: $35 – $220, 5’ to 18’

Extras: Wreaths, roping, Christmas gift shop

More information: Only the Ellis Family Farm will be open on Thursday, Dec. 3. For 6’ to 8’ trees, do to the Orchard Farm location. For trees that are 9’ and taller or trees in both size ranges, go to the Ellis Family Farm location.

Grouse Ridge Christmas Tree Farm at Dearness Gardens

Address: 13501 South Old Statesville Road, Huntersville

Travel time: 19 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. until

Variety: Concolor fir, Frasier fir

Phone: (704) 875-8234

Price: $35-$125, 4’-10’

Extras: Wreaths and garland

More information: After being cut in the North Carolina mountains, these trees from the Grouse Ridge Christmas Tree Farm were immediately placed in water, reducing fire hazards.

Grouse Ridge Christmas Tree Farm is selling Christmas trees at Dearness Gardens in Huntersville.
Grouse Ridge Christmas Tree Farm is selling Christmas trees at Dearness Gardens in Huntersville.

Grovestone Christmas Tree Farm

Address: 48051 Clodfelter Road, Albemarle

Travel time: 1 hour 5 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (704) 983-1685

Variety: Leyland Cypress

Price: $50, regardless of size

Extras: Shirts, elderberry syrup

More information: This will likely be its last weekend with Christmas tree availability.

Hillbilly Market Christmas Tree Season

Address: Three locations (8000 Providence Road, 7800 Fairview Rd, 3612 Matthews-Weddington Road)

Travel time: 18 minutes to Fairview location, 24 minutes to Providence location, 31 minutes to Matthews location

Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. daily

Extras: Pumpkins, wreaths, garlands, other decorations

More information: Fully stocked with Christmas trees as of December 4.

Kiser Christmas Tree

Address: 460 Concord Parkway, Concord, NC 28027

Travel time: 33 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily

Phone: (704) 720-7300

Variety: Fraser fir

Price: Depends on tree size

Extras: Wreaths, garlands, other decorations

More information: No more available trees above 8’.

Mountain Man Farms

Address: 6600 Poplar Tent Road, Concord

Travel time: 23 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday

Contact: mountainmanfarmsnc@gmail.com, Facebook

Variety: Fraser fir

Price: Facebook message for details

Extras: Garlands, wreaths, other holiday items

More information: Trees from tabletop size to 10’ still available as of afternoon Thursday, Dec. 3. Trees are selling out fast and will likely be sold out by the week of Dec. 7.

Mrs. Ruth’s Christmas Trees

Address: 2206 Charlotte Hwy., Mooresville

Travel time: 33 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (980) 348-2098

Variety: Frasier fir

Price: Start at $35

Cost: From 2’ to 9’ around $10 per foot for 2’ to 9’ trees, $160 to $280 for 10’ to 12’ trees, $300 for 14’ to 16’ trees

Extras: Wreaths, fresh garland, hot chocolate and apple cider, local honey, Christmas shop

Pike Nurseries

Address: Four Charlotte area locations (12630 N. Community House Road, 9825 McKay Road, 1016 Devore Lane in Matthews, 18234 Statesville Road in Cornelius)

Travel time: 28 minutes to Community House Road location, 18 minutes to McKay Road location, 23 minutes to Matthews location, 25 minutes to Cornelius location)

Hours: 9 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday (Vulnerable shoppers: 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday)

Phone: (704) 341-7453 (Community House Road), (704) 800-5613 (McKay), (704) 288-0782 (Matthews), (704) 800-4110 (Cornelius)

Variety: Frasier fir

Price: Varies by tree size, which ranges from tabletop to 10’

Extras: Wreaths, poinsettias, other decorations

More information: You can buy 6’ to 7’ Fraser fir trees at a discounted price of $49.99 (regular price $69.99) through Sunday, Dec. 6.

Pinetop Farm

Address: 830 Majolica Road, Salisbury

Travel time: 46 minutes

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 5 – 19)

Phone: (704) 637-7208

Variety: Fraser fir

Price: Depends on size and overall “look” of tree

Extra: Wreaths, garlands

More information: Pinetop expects to sell out of trees by next week.

Snowflake Village

Address: 12201 S. Tryon St.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (704) 676-6289

Variety: Fraser fir and balsam fir

Price: Depends on height and size of tree (see website)

More information: Only trees smaller than 8’ are still available. This will likely be its last weekend with Christmas tree availability.

Spring Water Farms

Address: 16101 Old Statesville Road (115), Huntersville

Travel time: 23 minutes from Charlotte

Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1-6 p.m. Sunday

Phone: (704) 875-0061

Variety: Frasier fir

Cost: $48 to $280

Also available: Wreaths, swags, bows, tree stands

A family shops for a fresh Christmas tree in pre-coronavirus times.
A family shops for a fresh Christmas tree in pre-coronavirus times.

Locations that are sold out, closed or not offering trees this year

  • Grace Tree Farm (Denver) has sold out of trees.

  • Charlotte Christmas Village (Charlotte) is not offering trees this year out of pandemic precaution. There will still be a Christmas market following COVID-19 protocols.

  • Stowe Dairy Farms (Gastonia) is not offering trees this year.

  • Tree Elves, a tree delivery pop-up concept that serviced Charlotte in prior years, is not operating this year.

No luck with a local joint?

Home Depot and Lowe’s are selling real Christmas trees nationally and some Charlotte grocery stores have in the past; call your local store about availability. You can also opt for an artificial tree, which you can find at local holiday shop Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop, as well as national big box stores.

What about decorations?

You can’t have a Christmas tree without decorations, so it’s no surprise that decorations are in high demand, as well.

“Things have been flying off the shelf,” said Mike Conway, who works at Blackhawk Hardware in the Park Road Shopping Center. “It really started two weeks ago. This upcoming weekend will be really busy for us, as well.”

You can still find artificial wreaths, Christmas lights and other decorations at Blackhawk. (They’re out of artificial Christmas trees.) In addition, you can find a variety of decorations at Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop as well as national stores.

Editor’s note: This is a developing story and may be updated.