Special wishes

“Even the weakest Christmas tree finds a home”

Klaus Gschwendtner cultivates Christmas trees on 25 hectares in Stroheim

(Bild: © pictureshooting.AT)

December 8 marks the start of the season for local Christmas tree growers. 80 percent of the plants sold come from local cultivation and prices have been moderately increased compared to last year. What customers want is varied and sometimes unusual.

"It should be 1.75 to two meters tall and grow nicely." These are not the requirements for the next Mister Austria election, but the description for the ideal Christmas tree. "The Nordmann fir is the most popular. Narrow trees tend to be sold in the city, but taller and wider ones are also sold in the countryside. Young families also like bushy trees," says Klaus Gschwendtner, chairman of the Upper Austrian Christmas tree growers' association and currently under constant stress.

A plastic tree from China would have to be used for 19 years to be more environmentally friendly than a domestic fir tree.

Michaela Langer-Weninger

"Many people think we just lie on the sofa for the rest of the year, but preparations for the Christmas tree sale start at the end of August." It takes eight to ten years before a tree even goes on sale if it is not destroyed by hail or game browsing beforehand. Dry periods also affect the plants: "Especially in the first four years, it plays an extremely important role whether the tree gets enough water," explains Gschwendtner.

On average, around 400,000 Christmas trees are sold in Upper Austria every year, meaning that three out of four households have one. 80 to 85 per cent come from local cultivation, recognizable by the red-white-red ribbon. "Before the tree is in the living room, it has traveled an average of around five kilometers," emphasizes the farmer.

Prices have been moderately increased this year, with a Nordmann fir costing 22 to 27 euros per running meter. In families, it is usually the wife who decides which tree to buy. Do only the most beautiful specimens stand a chance? "We had customers who always wanted to give the worst tree a home," smiles Gschwendtner.