Louisiana's Christmas Forest is a family business owned and operated by the Bennetts: Barton and Andrea; Keith; Stephen, Debbie, Heather and Jennifer; David, Mimi, Brady, Andrew and Kyle.

Louisiana's Christmas Forest is, as far as we know, the largest choose and cut Christmas tree farm in the South, with annual sales of about 6,000 trees, all choose and cut. We also operate one of the South's largest Christmas tree nurseries, specializing in Leyland cypress and the other new, exciting species now being introduced into the southern Christmas tree industry.

When Louisiana's Christmas Forest began annual planting of several thousand Leyland cypress a few years ago, it made sense to try to root our own cuttings. It took a great deal of time and money to get properly set up for efficient rooting, but, once we did, it made further sense to root extra plants each year to sell to our friends in the Louisiana-Mississippi Christmas Tree Association.

Well, one thing led to another, and now we operate one of the largest Leyland cypress Christmas tree nurseries in the South, rooting about 60,000 Leyland cypress and other Christmas tree species each year.

With our contacts in the Christmas tree industry, we decided to concentrate on producing plants specifically for Christmas trees. This involved producing vigorous plants with single central leaders. Plants produced for ornamentals often have multiple leaders and may not be the quality needed for outplanting in a Christmas tree farm. But, on the other hand, plants produced for Christmas trees can easily be used as landscape ornaments.