Lots across the city of Portland are reporting they have sold out of Christmas trees early this year.
“This was the first year we’ve ever had to close due to a lack of trees,” says Lesle Janssen, owner of Red Shed Christmas trees. "We've had to apologize a lot to a lot of disappointed families. "
Janssen sells noble, Douglas, nordeman, and grand firs at two lots on Portland’s east side. Both lots sold out on Dec. 21.
Cornell Farms and several Portland area Fred Meyer stores also reported selling out.
Janssen says she usually spends Christmas giving away her leftover trees but this year she'll be home with her family.
She thinks the strong demand for trees is a result of Portland's growing population.
Other factors may be at work too. The wholesale price of trees is up about 10 percent this year, according to trade groups.
"Buying was early this year, and it was strong," says Bryan Ostlund, with the Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association.
After many years in which farmers planted too many trees, the supply is starting to fall again.
"We were planting several million more trees every year than we were actually harvesting. It takes a while with Christmas trees to cycle through that, because its a long production cycle, seven to 10 years," Ostlund says. "We're back down to the point where we're planting what we can produce."
Farmers harvest more than 6 million Christmas trees in Oregon every year, more than any other state. A majority of those trees are shipped to markets outside the northwest, including California, Mexico, Japan, and Singapore.