TREE TRAVAILS.

• Position: NC TREND: Pulse: News and insights

O Tannenbaum! Shortages in the country's top two Christmas tree producing states, Oregon and North Carolina, mean Americans are likely to pay more for sweet-smelling holiday cheer. Fewer trees were planted after the recession. Now, it may take years for farmers to catch up. Doug Hundley is a seasonal spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association fielding calls from his home in Burke County. He stops short of using the word "shortage" but says it's unusual to see simultaneous tight supplies on the East and West coasts. Hundley predicts a 5% increase in prices this year, though he doesn't expect North Carolinians to have any trouble finding a live tree. Growers must combat sales of artificial trees, which outnumbered live ones nearly 4 to 1 last year. The...