INVEST
PLANT
SOFTWOODS
HARDWOODS
CALCULATORS
RESOURCES
PROGRAMS
Softwoods
Learn More
Jump to: Tree Farm FAQs
Tree farms, sometimes called tree plantations or tree nurseries, are managed pieces of land where trees are grown as a crop. Instead of harvesting every year like corn or vegetables, a tree farmer plants, tends, and harvests trees over multi-year or even multi-decade cycles. From Christmas trees and shade trees to palms, bonsai and high-value specimen trees, a well-planned tree farm can be both a rewarding lifestyle and a serious long-term investment.
A tree farm is any property where trees are grown intentionally for income, conservation, or both. Some farms focus on fast-turnover crops like Christmas trees, while others specialize in higher-value trees that grow for decades before they’re sold as mature landscape specimens.
Unlike wild forests, the trees on a tree farm are planted, spaced, pruned and harvested according to a plan. The farmer manages weeds, pests, and disease, and shapes the trees for their eventual market: timber, landscaping, windbreaks, carbon credits, or holiday retail.
One key principle is that a tree farm tree is often more profitable the older and larger it is. Every year of growth adds height, trunk caliper, and canopy size—traits buyers pay a premium for.
You don’t need hundreds of acres to start. Many successful tree farms began as a side project on a few acres or even a large rural lot. Here are the basic steps:
Before you plant anything, decide who you want to sell to:
Your market will determine what you plant, how you space it, and how long you hold trees before selling.
Look for well-drained soil, good access for trucks and equipment, and a climate suited to your species. Proximity to your target market matters: hauling a 40-foot tree many hours away is expensive.
Match species to your climate and customers:
Tree farms need regular mowing, irrigation (in many regions), pruning, and pest management. A simple management plan lists what you’ll do each year—fertilizing, shaping, weed control, thinning—and what equipment you’ll use.
Christmas trees are the most common type of tree farm. They’re popular because:
However, prices per tree are modest compared to large landscape trees, and you must continually replant to keep the cycle going.
Landscape tree farms grow trees for high-end residential and commercial projects. Here is where age and size really matter. A mature, 50-year-old landscape tree in the right location can sell for $30,000 or more when dug, moved, and replanted. Likewise, a 50-year-old palm tree in a hot market like Phoenix can command a similar price because large specimens deliver instant shade, scale, and prestige.
These trees take decades to reach that value, but the per-tree return can be impressive if you own the land long-term or manage multi-decade projects for clients.
In warm climates, palm and desert tree farms supply resorts, golf courses, and luxury homes. Palms often transplant well even at large sizes, making mature specimens especially valuable. Here, irrigation design and salt/heat tolerance are crucial to success.
At the other end of the size spectrum, bonsai trees can sell for thousands of dollars. A well-trained bonsai with decades of shaping, a beautiful trunk, and a story can be worth more than an entire row of commodity trees. This niche requires patience, artistry, and close attention, but the value per square foot of growing space can be very high.
Tree farming can be profitable, but it is not a “get rich quick” business. It behaves more like a long-term savings plan or retirement asset than a fast flip. Profitability depends on several factors:
A small Christmas tree farm might bring a modest seasonal income after the first rotation. A well-located specimen tree farm with 20–50 years of growth can produce very high-value individual sales, especially if you specialize in mature landscape trees or palms.
Planning a tree farm is easier when you’re not doing it alone. Our team at TreePlantation.com can help you:
Whether you’re dreaming of a family Christmas tree farm, a palm and desert tree nursery in Phoenix, or a long-term landscape tree plantation, a well-designed plan is the difference between “just trees on land” and a genuine tree farming business. With the right species, spacing, and patience, tree farms can produce beauty, habitat, and meaningful income for years to come.
A tree farm is a managed piece of land where trees are grown as a crop. Depending on your market, that crop might be Christmas trees, shade and street trees for landscaping, palms for urban and resort projects, or specialty trees such as bonsai stock and specimen conifers. Trees are spaced, pruned, fertilized, and harvested on a schedule to generate long-term income while also providing wildlife habitat, carbon storage, and soil protection.
Start by defining your goal and market:
To explore different spacing and yield scenarios, you can also use online tree farm and plantation calculators. From there, you can phase in planting so that future harvests are staggered over multiple years instead of one big cut-and-replant cycle.
Startup costs vary widely based on land, water, equipment, and the type of trees you grow, but you can use these rough ranges as a starting point:
The most important step is to match your investment to a realistic rotation length and selling price. A tree farm tree is typically more profitable the older and larger it is: a mature 50-year-old landscape tree or palm can sell for $30,000 or more in the right market, and high-end bonsai can also sell for thousands of dollars.
Profitability depends on your location and buyers, but in general:
As a rule of thumb, a tree farm tree becomes more profitable the older, larger, and more “finished” it is.
Tree farming is a long-term business, but payback timelines vary by crop:
Many owners treat a tree farm as a retirement or legacy asset—building value over time while generating selective sales along the way.
Yes. Our team at TreePlantation.com has long experience with tree plantations, high-value specimen trees, and mixed-use farms that combine Christmas trees, landscape stock, palms, and specialty crops.
We can help you:
If you’d like guidance, reach out through the Tree Plantation contact page and let us know where you’re located, how much land you have, and what kind of tree farm you’d like to build.
Copyright © All rights reserved Tree Plantation
