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Growing Methods:

There are three distinct methods of growing Christmas trees in Canada

Natural Stand: Found primarily in Nova Scotia Christmas tree lots. This method uses conifers that occur naturally in an area

Plantation Style: Found from New Brunswick to British Columbia. Growers plant seedlings in straight rows throughout a plantation

Stump Culture: Found primarily in the interior of British Columbia. When a tree is harvested, the bottom whorls are left standing on the site and one of the branches will be turned up to become the leader of a new Christmas tree


Natural Stand Production
Is characterized by the the utilization of conifers that occur naturally in an area
• The seeds from mature trees release their cones and seeds naturally
• Trees are thinned, allowing for adequate spacing so trees may grow to maturity without touching neighbouring trees (2 m (5-6 foot) spacing)
• A tree nearing maturity often has a seedling growing at its base to replace it when it will be harvested
Nova Scotia natural grown wild stand of Christmas trees
Nova Scotia natural-grown wild stand
Christmas trees in Guysborough, Nova Scotia
Fraser Firs grown on a Plantation in Quebec
Plantation Fraser Firs
Beauce Region, Quebec
Plantation Style

Plantations allow for the production of high quality marketable trees in a controlled environment and area. The choice of tree species and varieties to grow on a plantation vary according to:

 
• Growing Zones, Christmas trees in Canada are grown in the 1B - 6A growing zones
• Market demand growing and selling the variety of trees that the public demands
• Soil type and drainage. Some trees like it wet, others dry, some like it acidic, others less so
Douglas Fir Stump Culture
Many Douglas Fir Christmas tree growers successfully utilize a practice known as "stump culture"
• At harvest the tree is cut so that the stump is left with the bottom whorls or lower branches
• These branches provide the stump with energy, allowing the tree to continue thriving
• After several years, the best branch will be chosen to become the leader of the next tree
• Stump culture reduces the time to harvest for a Douglas fir by approximately three years
• Stump culture may be used in plantations and natural regeneration stands
• Some stumps cultured in this way have produced a tree every five years for the last sixty years
Stump Culture, where a branch is turned into a new tree
Stump Culture with a branch turned
into the new leader
Beaverdell, BC


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Canadian Christmas Tree Gowers Association     © Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association
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Planting trees by hand