Shipments of Christmas trees have arrived in Hawaii, with many already purchased and adorned with ornaments in people’s homes and businesses.

Despite warnings of shortages and higher prices for Christmas trees nationwide, sellers and retailers were able to bring in a decent supply this year, according to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, and trees are still available.

A total of 156 containers holding roughly 80,000 trees in all are expected to arrive this year, according to the department’s plant quarantine branch, with all but four having already arrived. The last containers are expected to reach the islands this weekend.

That’s two more containers than last year, and a dozen fewer than in 2019. The majority are from Oregon, and a few from Washington state.

“We’re almost back to what we had in 2019,” said Helmuth Rogg, administrator of the state’s plant industry division.

Rogg said fewer containers had to be quarantined due to pests this year — maybe two to three compared with 11 last year.

He credits the lower count to developing protocols in Northwestern states to reduce the number of pests on Christmas trees transported here. The upshot for Hawaii is a significant time and labor savings. The Arion slugs are the main pests of concern.

Annual sales of Christmas trees to benefit Habilitat, a nonprofit offering addiction treatment programs, are also well underway.

Habilitat has a selection of five types of trees — Douglas, Nordmann, Fraser, Noble and Grand firs — available at five parking lot locations, noon until 9 p.m. daily. The trees range in size from 2 feet to 16 feet, and prices start at about $55. The taller noble firs — 6- and 7-footers — go for about $140.

“This is our 47th year doing this and it’s still the same cause,” said Habilitat spokeswoman Eisha Hoomana. “We are doing this as a fundraiser to get new residents into the program, and we love continuing to do this with everybody, bringing Christmas trees to provide a traditional holiday for their families, especially at a time like this.”

Many of the Habilitat trees are pre-ordered, but plenty are available at the five sites — Central Union Church in Honolulu, next to the Ice Palace at Stadium Mall, by the old Kmart at 500 Kamokila Blvd. in Kapolei, Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center and Koko Marina Center.

Hoomana said 100% of proceeds go to the nonprofit, which offers a long-term residential substance abuse program and workforce development training.

Christmas in Hawaii, a company started decades ago by the late Richard Tajiri, is also back at Atkinson Drive at Ala Moana Center.

Now run by Tajiri’s family, the company began selling trees Nov. 21, and is happy to welcome back customers — including those that have shopped at the site for generations, according to wife Paula Tajiri.

Christmas in Hawaii has sold out of many of its biggest trees, such as the Fraser and Grand firs, she said. However, on Wednesday there were still plenty of Noble and Douglas firs available. A fresh shipment of fragrant Douglas firs had just arrived, she said.

The higher cost of trees and transportation prompted Christmas in Hawaii to raise prices about 10%, Tajiri said, adding that she appreciates continuing support from staff and customers.

At City Mill, some locations have already sold out their stock of Christmas trees, according to marketing manager Shannan Okinishi. But a final shipment just got delivered to the Hawaii Kai, Kaimuki, Kaneohe and Nimitz stores.

Okinishi said Yule tree sales began the week before Thanksgiving for trees ranging from 3 feet to 7 feet tall, including Douglas, Noble and Grand firs. Prices vary, but remain competitive, she said.

“We bring fresh trees every year and hope to continue to do that because we have so many locations in neighborhoods across the island,” Okinishi said. “It’s an extension of our customer service. We want to provide convenience for our customers across the island.”

For those who want to visit a Christmas tree farm to make a selection, Helemano Farms in Wahiawa remains open.

Sales of the trees began Nov. 20, with a limited selection of Leyland cypress, which sold out within a week. Norfolk pines and Yoshino trees are still available. Prices range from $50 for trees up to 4 feet to $100 for trees up to 8 feet and $200 for trees up to 12 feet.

Helemano Farms is open from noon until dark Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m. until dark on weekends.

While this year’s holiday tree supply is a relatively ample, Rogg pointed out that trees in Oregon have suffered from extreme weather events over the past two years.

Around Labor Day in 2020, there were multiple wildfires in Oregon due to unusually high temperatures and strong winds, followed by an ice storm in February that damaged more trees. Then, at the end of June, there was a “heat dome,” which Rogg said wiped out a large portion of first-year seedlings.

Hundreds of thousands of trees were killed, he said.