Searching for Christmas tree farms near New Orleans 2026 comes with a Louisiana reality check: the city’s subtropical climate cannot grow traditional firs and spruces, so you will not find a choose-and-cut farm inside the city limits. But cross Lake Pontchartrain to the North Shore, and the picture changes completely — Washington and St. Tammany parishes are home to real, working Christmas tree farms growing Leyland cypress, Carolina sapphire, and Virginia pine, the varieties that thrive in Louisiana soil. Add in New Orleans’ excellent full-service tree lots and a couple of beloved Mississippi farms within day-trip distance, and NOLA families have genuinely great options for a real tree in 2026. This guide covers them all, honestly labeled, so you know exactly what kind of experience each stop offers.
Here is how to read this guide. The North Shore farms — about an hour from downtown New Orleans — are the real choose-and-cut experience: rows of living trees, saws, hayrides, the works. The metro lots are full-service operations bringing in premium Fraser firs, noble firs, and spruces from northern growers, with delivery, flocking, and set-up. Both are wonderful; they are just different traditions. Every spot below sets its own schedule, so check official listings or call ahead for 2026 season hours and availability before you make the drive — and if you are heading to the North Shore, pack snacks, because the rural routes have few places to stop.
Steele’s Christmas Tree Farm
In Angie, Louisiana — near Bogalusa, about an hour and a quarter from New Orleans — Steele’s Christmas Tree Farm is the name every North Shore family knows. This family-owned farm has been helping the community find the perfect tree for over 40 years, and it was even named the best Christmas tree farm in Louisiana in a national roundup. The property is beautiful: rows and rows of trees in all shapes and sizes, with more than a thousand to choose from, ranging from modest 5-footers to towering 18-foot specimens.
Do not expect a standard northern fir here — Steele’s grows what Louisiana grows best: Leyland cypress, Carolina sapphire, Fraser fir (pre-cut), and Eastern white pine. The Leyland cypress is the local favorite: soft to the touch, wonderfully fragrant, and a great low-allergen choice. The farm has traditionally opened for the season on Thanksgiving Day afternoon and runs seven days a week through the season, with a charming gift shop stocked with candied nuts, small toys, and gifts. The farm sits at 56459 Dollar Road in Angie; from the South Shore or Covington, take Highway 25 for the most direct route. For 2026, check official listings or call ahead for season hours. Families who go once tend to go every year — it becomes the official start of their Christmas season.
Shady Pond Tree Farm
Closer in, in Pearl River, Shady Pond Tree Farm offers a genuine choose-and-cut experience about 45 minutes from downtown New Orleans via I-59. The farm grows Leyland cypress, Carolina sapphire, Deodora cedar, Virginia pine, and King William pine for u-cut, and provides the full service package: stands, saws, shaking, baling, and even tours. It is a smaller, more intimate operation than Steele’s, which many families prefer — less overwhelming for little kids, easier to navigate, and you still get the magic of cutting your own.
Shady Pond has traditionally been open weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with limited Thursday and Friday afternoon hours, and pre-tagging beginning in mid-November — a smart system that lets you reserve your tree before the season rush. The farm is located at 37226 Pine Street Extension in Pearl River. For 2026, check official listings or call ahead for season hours and pre-tag details. If you want the farm experience without the full day trip to Angie, Shady Pond is your sweet spot — and the Deodora cedar is a distinctive, beautiful option you will not find at every farm.
Tiger Branch Trees
North of Covington, Tiger Branch Trees is a classic Louisiana choose-and-cut farm: you choose, you cut, they tie and bale it. The farm grows Leyland cypress, Murray cypress, Carolina sapphire, and Blue Ice, with saws provided, free tree trimmings, and a picnic area for lingering. It is cash-and-check friendly, refreshingly unpretentious, and exactly the kind of place where the outing feels like it did a generation ago.
The farm sits at 10875 Tiger Branch Rd. in Covington — from Covington, head north on Highway 25 about six miles, turn right on Million Dollar Road, and follow the signs. The season traditionally starts the Friday after Thanksgiving, with daily hours during the season; check their Facebook page or call ahead for 2026 open dates. At roughly 50 minutes from downtown New Orleans (via the Causeway), Tiger Branch is one of the most convenient true farm experiences for South Shore families. Bring a picnic, let the kids run, and take your time — this is a farm that rewards slowing down.
AV Tree Farms: Marrero, Harahan, and Gretna Lots
If you would rather stay on the South Shore, AV Tree Farms has been the metro area’s full-service tree lot since 1986, with three convenient locations in Marrero (4115 Lapalco Blvd.), Harahan, and Gretna. This is the white-glove option: a wide selection of premium trees including Fraser fir, blue spruce, Black Hills spruce, Scotch pine, concolor fir, grand fir, Douglas fir, and noble fir, plus tree stands, fresh wreaths, and even color flocking if you want a snowy-white tree without the snow.
What sets AV apart is service: the knowledgeable staff will attach the tree to the stand, securely tie it down for transportation, and even deliver if you cannot transport it yourself. For apartment dwellers, anyone without a big vehicle, or families who want a perfect specimen without the farm expedition, AV is the answer. The lots are typically open daily through the season — check official listings for 2026 hours. Once your tree is home and flocked to perfection, our gingerbread house decorating ideas make a perfect weekend project to go with it.
Christmas Memories Tree Farm
Worth the day trip across the state line, Christmas Memories Tree Farm in Magnolia, Mississippi offers fields of naturally grown Leyland cypress for choose-and-cut, with assistance available if you need help with the sawing. It is about an hour and a half from New Orleans via I-55, and the drive through Mississippi’s pine country is part of the experience — this is deep-South Christmas tree country, and the farm embraces it.
The farm is located at 1101 New Home Road in Magnolia and has traditionally opened in late November; check their Facebook page or call ahead for 2026 opening dates and hours. The Leyland cypress here grows tall and full, and the farm’s natural growing approach appeals to families who like their traditions uncomplicated. Make it a day trip: cut your tree in the morning, explore the charming town of Magnolia, and be home in time for dinner. For families who want to stretch the holiday magic across the whole season, our funny and easy Elf on the Shelf ideas will keep the kids delighted from tree day through Christmas morning.
Holly Berry Hills Christmas Tree Farm
Also in Mississippi, Holly Berry Hills in Saucier offers a more curated experience: pre-tag days in early November let you walk the fields and reserve your tree, then return after Thanksgiving to pick it up. It is a lovely system for planners — you get the farm visit and the perfect tree without the opening-weekend crowds. The farm sits at 13493 Martha Redmond Rd. in Saucier, roughly 90 minutes from New Orleans via I-10.
Note that Holly Berry Hills has traditionally accepted cash and checks only, so come prepared. Pre-tagged trees are picked up on set dates around Thanksgiving weekend — check official listings or call ahead for the 2026 pre-tag schedule. This is the connoisseur’s pick: a quiet farm, a reserved tree, and a holiday season that starts with intention rather than a scramble. Pair the trip with a stop in Bay St. Louis, whose Old Town does the holidays with genuine coastal charm.
Keeping a Real Tree Happy in Louisiana Humidity
South Louisiana’s December weather is its own adventure — one week it is sweater weather, the next the AC is back on. Real trees actually handle humidity better than dry desert air, but warmth is still the enemy of freshness. Keep your tree away from sunny windows and heat sources, and if the weather turns warm, do not hesitate to run the AC: your tree will thank you. As with anywhere, give the trunk a fresh cut when you get home, stand it in water immediately, and check the water level daily — a fresh-cut Leyland cypress can drink a surprising amount in its first days home.
Variety choice matters here. Leyland and Murray cypress are Louisiana’s champion Christmas trees for a reason: they hold their needles superbly, smell wonderful, and tolerate warm spells that would stress a fir. Carolina sapphire adds striking blue-green color and a citrus scent. If you buy a shipped-in Fraser fir from a metro lot, it will do beautifully indoors — just keep it watered and out of the sun, and buy from lots that store trees in shade and restock through the season. One Louisiana-specific tip: if your tree will live on a screened porch or in a sunroom for part of the season, choose cypress over fir — it handles the temperature swings far better.
Making a Day of It: North Shore and Beyond
The Christmas tree farms near New Orleans 2026 reward the traveler. The North Shore run — across the Causeway, through Covington’s charming downtown, out to the farms — is one of the prettiest December drives in southeast Louisiana. Make a day of it: cut your tree in the morning, have lunch in Covington or Mandeville, and stroll the lakefront before heading home. The Abita Springs area nearby has its own quirky holiday charm worth a detour.
If you are staying on the South Shore, pair your AV Tree Farms visit with an evening in the French Quarter or a drive through Celebration in the Oaks in City Park — New Orleans does the holidays like nowhere else, and a fresh tree at home plus the city’s lights is a combination that never gets old. And once the tree is decorated, start a new tradition with our Christmas morning traditions guide — because the tree is only the beginning of the memories. For families looking to give back this season, our Christmas volunteering ideas round up meaningful ways to share the holiday spirit across the metro area.
South Shore vs. North Shore: Which Trip Is Yours?
New Orleans families generally fall into two camps, and knowing which one you are makes the decision easy. The North Shore camp wants the expedition: the Causeway drive, the farm rows, the sawing ceremony, the picnic, the whole day. If that sounds like your family, commit to it — leave mid-morning, pick one farm (Steele’s for the grandest selection, Shady Pond for the shortest drive, Tiger Branch for the most old-fashioned vibe), and do not try to squeeze in two farms in one day. The experience is the point, and rushing it ruins it.
The South Shore camp wants the tree without the trek: a premium Fraser fir, professionally trimmed and loaded, home by lunch. If that is you, AV Tree Farms is genuinely excellent — the staff’s tree knowledge rivals any farm’s, and services like delivery and flocking solve real logistical problems. There is no shame in the efficient route; the magic is in the decorating, not the driving. And honestly? Plenty of families do both across different years — a North Shore expedition when the kids are little and everything is an adventure, the South Shore lot when December gets hectic. The tree does not keep score.
In Pictures
A Louisiana tree hunt has its own look — Spanish moss overhead, kids in light jackets, cypress rows instead of snowy firs — and it is every bit as magical as the postcard version. Photograph the farm, the cut, the Causeway drive home with the tree on the roof, and that first evening glow.
Photo tip: Louisiana’s winter light is soft and golden for much of the afternoon — ideal for photos. Get a shot of the family among the cypress rows with the Spanish moss in the background; it is a Christmas photo no one up north can replicate.
Watch: How to Choose a Real Christmas Tree
Whether you are cutting your own cypress on the North Shore or picking a Fraser fir at a metro lot, the fundamentals are the same. This quick video walks through measuring your space, testing any tree for freshness, choosing the right species, and keeping it hydrated all season.
At a Glance: New Orleans-Area Tree Spots Compared
Here is how the farms and lots compare. Drive times are from downtown New Orleans; confirm 2026 hours and availability when you call ahead.
| Farm / Lot | Location | Tree Types | Approx. Drive Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steele’s Christmas Tree Farm | Angie, LA | Leyland cypress, Carolina sapphire, Virginia pine (u-cut); pre-cut Fraser fir | 75 min |
| Shady Pond Tree Farm | Pearl River, LA | Leyland cypress, Carolina sapphire, Deodora cedar, Virginia pine (u-cut) | 45 min |
| Tiger Branch Trees | Covington, LA | Leyland/Murray cypress, Carolina sapphire, Blue Ice (u-cut) | 50 min |
| AV Tree Farms | Marrero / Harahan / Gretna | Fraser, noble, Douglas fir; spruces; flocking; delivery | In town |
| Christmas Memories Tree Farm | Magnolia, MS | Leyland cypress (u-cut) | 90 min |
| Holly Berry Hills | Saucier, MS | Pre-tag u-cut; cash/check only | 90 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms inside New Orleans?
No — the city’s subtropical climate cannot grow Christmas tree species, so there are no u-cut farms within the city itself. The real farm experience lives on the North Shore (Steele’s in Angie, Shady Pond in Pearl River, Tiger Branch in Covington), about 45–75 minutes away, plus options across the Mississippi state line. Inside the metro, full-service lots like AV Tree Farms bring in premium northern trees.
When do North Shore tree farms open for the 2026 season?
Most Louisiana farms open around Thanksgiving — Steele’s has traditionally opened Thanksgiving Day afternoon, Tiger Branch the Friday after — and stay open through mid-December or until trees sell out. Exact 2026 dates and hours are set by each farm, so check official listings or call ahead before driving. Pre-tag programs at farms like Shady Pond and Holly Berry Hills begin in early November.
What is the best Christmas tree variety for Louisiana?
Leyland cypress is Louisiana’s signature Christmas tree: soft foliage, great scent, excellent needle retention, and low allergens. Murray cypress and Carolina sapphire are also superb local choices. If you want a traditional fir look, buy a shipped-in Fraser fir from a reputable lot and keep it well watered.
How do I keep a real tree fresh in Louisiana’s warm Decembers?
Fresh-cut trunk, water immediately, check the water daily, and keep the tree out of direct sun and away from heat sources. Do not be shy about running the AC on warm days — cool air extends the tree’s life dramatically. Cypress varieties tolerate warmth better than firs, so choose accordingly if your house runs warm.
Do the North Shore farms take credit cards?
Policies vary — some farms take cards, others are cash or check only (Holly Berry Hills, for example, has traditionally been cash/check). Always check the farm’s payment options when you call ahead for hours, and bring cash as a backup. Rural Louisiana cell service can be spotty, so do not count on mobile payment.
Can I get my tree flocked in New Orleans?
Yes — AV Tree Farms has offered color flocking, which gives your tree a snowy white finish. Flocking is a fun option in a city where a white Christmas only happens in dreams. Ask about flocking colors and pricing when you call ahead; the process adds a bit of time, so plan accordingly.
What do I do with my tree after Christmas in New Orleans?
The city and surrounding parishes typically run Christmas tree recycling programs in January — many recycled trees are used for coastal restoration and wetland projects, which is a wonderfully Louisiana second act for your tree. Check official parish listings after the holidays for drop-off sites. Remove all decorations, lights, and stands first, and never burn a tree indoors.
Is it worth driving to Mississippi for a Christmas tree?
For the right family, absolutely. Christmas Memories in Magnolia and Holly Berry Hills in Saucier are both about 90 minutes from New Orleans — comparable to the Steele’s run — and they offer a change of scenery plus genuinely lovely farm experiences. The pre-tag system at Holly Berry Hills is ideal for planners who hate crowds. Turn it into a day trip with a stop in Bay St. Louis or Magnolia’s small-town shops, and the drive becomes part of the tradition rather than a chore.
Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler — With a Real Tree
The Christmas tree farms near New Orleans 2026 prove that the holidays here have their own beautiful logic: cypress instead of fir, the Causeway instead of a snowy lane, and beignets instead of — well, in addition to — hot cocoa. Whether you cross the lake to cut your own at Steele’s, Shady Pond, or Tiger Branch, venture into Mississippi for a day trip, or let AV Tree Farms handle everything on the South Shore, you are part of a Gulf South tradition that is as real as any up north. The scent of fresh cypress in a New Orleans living room, the lights reflecting off the ornaments, the whole family gathered around — that is Christmas, Louisiana style. Once the tree is up, explore more of our Christmas guides for decorating, traditions, and holiday fun. Joyeux Noël, New Orleans — may your cypress be full and your holidays bright.
