FORT MILL, S.C. — 'Tis the season to find the perfect Christmas tree. The towering holiday centerpiece in the homes of many, and can even be found locally.
Donald Potter is the owner of Potter & Son Nursery in Fort Mill, South Carolina. He's deeply rooted in the Christmas tree business.
“This is a family business and I’ve been growing trees for about 30 years,” said Potter.
His tree of choice is the Fraser fir due to its shape, fragrance and needle retention.
“The needles stay on much longer than the variety of trees you see. That is why the Fraser fir is the number one Christmas tree,” said Potter. “Just watching them grow, you plant a tree from a seedling and six to eight years later you have something like this.”
He takes pride in every tree he grows and even showed us his favorite on the lot.
“This has to be a nice tree right here. This is a seven-to-eight-foot tree," he said as he showed it off to WCNC Charlotte. "I would say this tree is about eight years old. It takes time to grow a Fraser Fir.”
While Potter sells his trees at a lot in Fort Mill, his farm is in Avery County.
“The mountain counties, there are four to five counties that can grow them up there,” said Potter. “They have to have the elevation and they have to have the cool air.”
The majority of Christmas trees grown in North Carolina come from the mountains. But that was a region hard hit by Helene.
Potter said his heart goes out to the farmers devastated by Helene, saying he was fortunate to weather the storm.
“We probably lost a couple of hundred, from wind knocking bigger trees down to smaller ones,” he said. “A lot of farms out there, they don’t even know if they are able to access their farms.”
Potter said every tree from the mountains is not just a holiday decoration, but a testament to the strength and resilience of his fellow farmers.
He expects the next few weekends, especially following Thanksgiving, to be really busy as families head out to find the right tree for the holiday season. Just make sure to keep your tree well-watered so it stays fresh.
You can find Potter's Christmas Tree lot at:
3149 SC-160
Fort Mill, SC 29708
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.