If you seek a tree made in Michigan, look about you.

Borrowing from the Michigan motto, the state's agricultural director and local growers are asking consumers to "buy local" when it comes to holiday decorations, including Christmas trees.

Keith Creagh, Michigan's agricultural director, visited a West Michigan garden center Thursday to promote holiday season decorating with trees, wreaths and other items that had Michigan roots, literally. "Make a fresh, fragrant and natural choice to buy a real, Michigan Christmas tree and poinsettia this holiday season," he says in an advance statement.

Michigan ranks fourth nationally in Christmas tree production, a list led by Oregon, North Carolina and Washington.

Marsha Gray, executive director of the Howell-based Michigan Christmas Tree Association, joined the state official at a morning news conference in Kentwood aimed at boosting an industry hurt by artificial tree sales. Evergreen sellers statewide have lost "considerable market share" to what Gray calls fake trees, she told the Kalamazoo Gazette after last season.

Locally, her association's 168 members include:

• Addison-Oaks Christmas Tree Farm, Oakland Township
• Howell Nature Center
• Tryban Trees, Farmington Hills
• Waldock Tree Farm, Howell

Where to get a tree

Locally, there are plenty of places to buy trees, if you aren't going to cut your own. They include:

Oakland Township:

• Addison-Oaks Christmas Tree Farm on Lake George Road
• Sherwood Forest at Adams and Silverbell roads

Rochester Hills:

• Bordine Nursery on Rochester Road
• Rochester First Church of the Nazarene in the lot next to the church
• In the lot in front of Sir Pizza near Rochester and Tienken roads

For charity

Grace Centers of Hope, a homeless shelter that accommodates hundreds of men, women and children on a daily basis, is selling trees at the Grace Gospel Fellowship, located at 210 N. Perry St. in Pontiac, for $25. All proceeds go to the shelter.