When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina, many Christmas tree farms, a major source of income in that part of the state, suffered major damage.

Owners Frank and Anja LaGrange found Fraser and Blue Spruce trees from North Carolina that couldn’t be sold since their Christmas tree lots were destroyed in Hurricane Helene.

North Carolina is the country’s second-largest producer of Christmas trees, and most of Louisiana's live Christmas trees come from Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. It's the closest climate where popular species such as the Fraser and Turkish firs sold by the Pollard family can be grown.

Christmas tree farms in North Carolina’s mountains play a vital role in the holiday season, producing over 20% of the nation’s real Christmas trees. But this year, many of those farms faced significant challenges in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

“This beautiful Frasier fir was grown at the Cartner Christmas Tree Farm, where the Cartner family has been growing trees for more than 60 years. Their farm is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, a region that was recently devastated by Hurricane Helene.

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- Western North Carolina is home to one of the country's largest sources of Christmas trees in the country. It's why after Hurricane Helene, many are hoping to show their support for the local economy. This year, more people are choosing the tradition of a fresh tree instead of a store-bought tree.

The parking lot at Longboards Island Grill is filled with holiday cheer as Mountain Roots Tree Farm is back in town for the fifth year to sell 650 Christmas trees

How has Hurricane Helene impacted Christmas tree farms in North Carolina?

Haywood County officials said its farms are open to customers and the area is getting back to normal a little more each day.