KULA, Hawai'i — Maui's Upcountry Christmas tree growers are hoping the spirit of the holidays will bring them customers this year despite the island's struggling economy.

Helen McCord, who owns Kula Botanical Garden with her husband, Warren, and son, Jeffrey, said commercial orders have been good so far.

McCord suspects high shipping costs may deter some big-box stores and others that sell trees from ordering as many from the Pacific Northwest this year.

"We're hoping for a good year," she said. "We are hoping people will support (trees) grown on Maui."

Kula Botanical Garden sells Monterey pines ranging from 4 to 20 feet tall, grown on 9 acres. The business sells between 1,000 to 2,000 trees a year.

A 6-foot tree sells for $60, with taller trees going for more.

The farm's tree sales were hurt last year when torrential rains flooded much of Maui. The stormy weather forced Upcountry roads to close and shut down the farm's tree-selling operation for at least two days.

"We've been around now for 35 years doing trees," she said. "We do the best we can. We have to deal with Mother Nature and the economy and everything else."

Upcountry Farms hopes to sell between 300 and 400 trees. The Monterey pines are priced at $10 per foot up to 10 feet tall. Trees taller than that sell for $13 a foot.

To help customers on a tight budget, somewhat-damaged trees may be sold at a reduced rate, said Shirley Buetler, who owns Upcountry Farms with her husband, Hugo.

"Christmas seems to be a special thing for people whether people have money or not," said Buetler. "Somehow or other people seem to want to have a tree because it's Christmas."

Matson Navigation Co. brought its first shipment of Christmas trees from the mainland to Honolulu Harbor on Nov. 15.

A check of Central Maui businesses that usually sell Christmas trees found that Wal-Mart is offering Noble and Douglas firs for $30 to $80, depending on size.

Other stores were preparing to offer trees for sale as early as today.