2024 New Jersey Christmas Tree Guide: Where to Find the Perfect Tree

NEW JERSEY – For some New Jersey families, the holiday season isn’t complete without taking a trip to a local Christmas tree farm, breathing in the evergreen scent and choosing the perfect Christmas tree to take home.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there are more than 16,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States, covering over 292,050 acres. Larger tree farms control about 75 percent of the supply, but if you’re interested in supporting a local business this holiday season, there are dozens of local and family-run places in the Garden State where you can cut or pick out a tree.

The New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers Association lists farms throughout the state, with commonly available trees such as blue spruce, white pine and Fraser fir.

Here is a shortlist of Christmas tree farms across New Jersey and a link to explore more options from local growers; In some districts there are no entries.

Atlantic

Bill’s Tree Farm, Egg Harbor Township

• Call 609-641-5459 for hours and availability.

Bergen

Edwards Christmas Tree Farm, Wrightstown

• Open November 30th, Friday to Sunday 9am to 5pm until December 8th.

Cape May

Eisele’s Tree Farm, Petersburg

• Open Fridays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (from November 29th) and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until December 22nd.

Gloucester

Exley’s Christmas Tree Farm, Sewell and Monroeville

• Open Friday, November 29th, then weekends from 10am to 4pm

labyrinth

Woodsedge Tree Farm, Belvidere

• Opens Friday, November 29th at 10am

Recent data from the American Christmas Tree Association’s 2024 Consumer Report shows that 99 percent of survey respondents plan to put at least one Christmas tree in their homes this year, and 22 percent of them will choose a live tree.

According to PickYourOwnChristmasTree, real trees cost around $13 per foot, depending on the tree species. At that price, a typical 7-foot tree would cost about $90.

Years of extreme weather — drought in some parts of the country and excessive moisture in others — have affected Christmas tree farms.

This year the focus is on the Northeast, where tree growers are suffering from severe drought that is causing young trees to die and could lead to shortages in the future.

According to the US Drought Monitor, about a quarter of the region was experiencing severe to extreme drought, hitting young trees particularly hard. It usually takes seven to eight years for a tree to reach the desired height for decoration.

“Christmas tree farms in the Northeast have unfortunately been hit by drought conditions that will impact crops for several years to come,” Jami Warner, executive director of the American Christmas Tree Association, told CNN.

“While consumers will be able to find their Christmas trees this season, some growers in the Northeast will not be able to harvest as many trees as in past non-drought years,” Warner said.