As the market for fresh Christmas trees tightens nationwide, cash-and-carry tree farms in Northeast Pennsylvania have held the line on prices and fresh tree aficionados shouldn’t see a price hike.

Local tree farms that sell directly to the consumers, capturing the entire mark-up, are somewhat insulated from price pressures. But as the cost of cultivating fresh Christmas trees keeps going up, growers say they may have to pass on price increases in holidays to come.

Owners of Roba Family Farms in North Abington Twp. and Helen & Ed’s Tree Farm in Dorrance Twp., Luzerne County, say they’ve had the same price for years, since before the recession.

The live tree market is essentially flat, said John Roba of Roba Family Farms, with between 28 and 30 million sold in the U.S. annually. With the number of households growing and population increasing, flat sales aren’t enough, he said.

“As a percentage, we are losing ground,” he said. The threat is from households with artificial trees or those that abandon the tree tradition altogether. Pennsylvania is a major producer of live Christmas trees. Only Oregon, North Carolina and Michigan harvest more.

Helen & Ed’s last raised prices four years ago and has kept its selection of trees between $32 and $39 depending upon on the variety of tree. Mr. Roba said his tree prices haven’t changed in 10 years. Priced by appearance and size, they run between $36 and $52.

It’s tempting to think that in Pennsylvania woods, evergreens grow by themselves into healthy, classically shaped trees, ready for lights and garlands. But the few weeks of enjoyment from the fresh Christmas tree represents about a decade of work on the part of a tree farm.

Helen & Ed’s produces its own saplings, which grow for three years before being transferred to a planting bed for another few years. Then the trees get five more years in the field. During that time, growers have to remain vigilant about the pest and disease pressures that could harm a tree and make it unsalable.

Mr. Roba notes that trees have to be sheared to grow into shape. Many of his 100-plus acres have to be mowed.

Those who sell fresh Christmas trees, like Richard Healey of A Family Tree in Greenfield Twp., see themselves as sharing the holiday spirit.

Mr. Healey has been selling trees long enough to see children grow up during their annual visits. Now, some of those children come back, grown and with their own children. Watching his trees grow reminds him of watching his customers’ children grow.

“You start with the small tree and you face challenges like pests and disease and you bring it up healthy — like a child,” Mr. Healey said. “The couples come by with their kids and their eyes light up when they see the tree they want.”

Contact the writer:

dfalchek@timesshamrock.com