News Release

New National Christmas Tree to be planted in President’s Park on Saturday

Date: October 21, 2019
Contact: Katie Liming, 202-619-7156

The National Park Service (NPS) will plant a new National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse on Saturday, Oct. 26. The 30-foot Colorado blue spruce from Lebanon County, Pa. will be lit for the first time on Dec. 5 during the 97th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony.

The previous tree was a Colorado blue spruce from Virginia, planted in Oct. 2012. It was damaged during a winter storm in Jan. 2014, and in 2018 when an individual climbed the tree. This tree will be removed tomorrow morning to allow the NPS to prepare the site for the new tree.  

The NPS plans to transport the new tree from Pennsylvania to the Ellipse on Friday, and to plant the tree Saturday morning via crane. Transplanting and maintaining such a large tree is challenging and requires careful planning and mild weather conditions. Late Oct. is an ideal time for planting, but there is still a chance of transplant shock. NPS horticulturists will keep a close eye on the tree’s health and ensure its transition is as easy as possible. 

Since 1973, the National Christmas Tree has been a living tree, cared for by the NPS. The National Christmas Tree can be viewed year-round on the Ellipse in President’s Park — one of America’s 419 national parks! 

Presented by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation, the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place annually in President’s Park. The event features a countdown to the official lighting of the new National Christmas Tree and live musical performances by local and national performers. The festivities continue with a daily lighting of the tree; free evening musical performances; and a chance to see the 56 state, district and territory trees and their ornaments up close from Dec. 9, 2019 through Jan. 1, 2020.