Where do Las Vegans’ Christmas trees come from?

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Hey, Mr. Sun,

My parents were in town recently, visiting from Ohio, where Christmas tree farms are plentiful. They were very curious about where the trees on the lots here come from, as they look a little out of place in the land of sand and palm trees. Can you find out?

An informal and far from comprehensive survey of local tree lots shows that many evergreens drying out in the Mojave winter began their lives on tree farms in Oregon.

Plant World Nursery gets its firs from Oregon, though it has in the past bought larger pines from a Utah supplier.

Deerbrooke Farm, which claims to be the oldest permanent tree lot in Las Vegas, also gets its Christmas trees from Oregon, and a few — those taller than 12 feet — from Washington.

These live or previously live trees are, of course, far from all of the Christmas trees in Las Vegas. For example, the synthetic tree blinking away in Mr. Sun’s living room came to Las Vegas from China, via Target.

Questions for Mr. Sun can be sent to page8@lasvegas sun.com.