Dispose of Holiday Greens and Christmas Trees Correctly to Protect Minnesota’s Trees and Forests

Invasive pests can hide on festive foliage

St. Paul, MN: Holiday greenery and Christmas trees bring joy throughout the season, but they can also hide dangerous pests. Diseases and invasive species can make their way into our landscapes on trees and boughs brought into Minnesota from other states.

To protect our environment, the State of Minnesota is asking residents to take these steps to properly dispose of greenery and trees after the holiday season:

• The best option is to use a curbside tree collection or bring trees to a designated drop-off site. Check with your waste hauler, city, or county to see what services are offered in your area. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has a map of yard waste compost locations; contact locations directly to see if they accept trees and greenery.
• Don’t toss trees and greenery into your backyard woods or residential compost pile, which can spread the invasive species or disease.
• Wreaths and other decorative greens can be disposed of in trash cans.
• If your city or county does not have an organized pick-up or drop-off, the last resort is to burn the greens. Always check fire danger conditions and burning restrictions before burning and follow local ordinances.

Pests of concern include elongate hemlock scale, a small insect established in the eastern U.S. where many decorative Fraser firs are grown. Feeding damage caused by this invasive insect can cause the needles of hemlocks, firs, and spruces to yellow and prematurely drop. Also, boxwood blight, a fungal disease, and round leaf bittersweet, an invasive noxious weed, are sometimes found on wreaths and centerpieces and can endanger native trees and other landscaping.

If you suspect your greenery or tree may be infested with an invasive insect or disease, contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Report a Pest line at 1-888-545-6684, [email protected], or through the online reporting form.

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