LSU Students Selling Christmas Trees; Consider These Tips Regardless of Where You Buy
By Mary Stokes, LSU AgCenter
The LSU Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters is having their annual Christmas tree sale. The trees are being sold outside of the Renewable Natural Resources Building on the LSU campus, and the sale will continue until all trees are sold.
Approximately 50 Carolina Sapphire cypress trees were harvested for the sale this year. Carolina Sapphire cypress trees are best known for their rich blue-silver color and strong lemon-and-mint aroma.
The trees are harvested each year from Lee Memorial Forest in Washington Parish. The forest is a vital research and teaching resource for the School of Renewable Natural Resources.
The 1,500 acres that comprise the Lee Memorial Forest include four acres dedicated to growing Christmas trees. Leyland cypress and Carolina Sapphire cypress are the most common tree varieties grown.
These varieties were selected because they acclimate well to growing in Louisiana. Leyland cypress is popular because it is less likely to shed its needles. Due to insects and diseases, many other tree varieties are not viable in Louisiana.