Christmas tree producers in Central and Southern Jutland are reporting frost damage to their trees following a nighttime frost last Friday. The extent of the damage is still being calculated, but it’s expected to impact the overall Christmas tree production this year.

Claus Jerram Christensen, director of the industry association Danish Christmas Trees, stated that the Nordmann firs, the most common type of Christmas tree in the region, were particularly affected. The mild spring had caused the trees to bud earlier than usual, making them more vulnerable to the frost.

The frost has withered the light green side and top shoots of the firs. While some trees can be salvaged by cutting off the dead shoots, others with damaged top shoots may have to be abandoned altogether, potentially setting back their growth by a year.

Central and Southern Jutland are home to over half of Denmark’s Christmas tree producers. According to the director, although nighttime frost is not uncommon at the end of May, the widespread nature of this frost is unusual.

Sebastian Pelt, a meteorologist at the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), confirmed the unusual cold, noting that five stations recorded night frost, marking the greatest extent so late in the spring in 30 years.

Denmark produces approximately 11.5 million Christmas trees annually, exporting 10 million. While the director of Danish Christmas Trees assures that Danes will likely still have Christmas trees this year, the frost damage may affect the number of trees available for export.