The NC State Christmas Tree Genetics Program has spent more than four decades working to develop “elite” Fraser fir trees. Fraser firs are native to North Carolina’s Appalachian mountains and represent more than 98% of all the Christmas tree species grown and sold in the state.  In the late 1990s, the Christmas Tree Genetics Program evaluated and tested tens of thousands of Fraser firs in an effort to identify those with the best genetic characteristics. …“Our trees will make the lives of both growers and consumers easier,” said Justin Whitehill, director of the Christmas Tree Genetics Program.  The trees will not only have a superior growth rate and appearance, but they will also retain their needles longer after harvest.