Capitol Christmas Tree – What Tree Where

Eastern White Pines:Suitable for Christmas or Rebellion?

What type of tree will you select for your Christmas tree this year?

What kind of tree do you think of when someone says natural Christmas tree? I suspect many of us think of a pine tree. Oddly, the most common trees used aren’t pines but firs and spruces. Pines do make the list of common or best trees, but only a few species are routinely used. In England the lodgepole pine is mentioned as a choice! In the U.S. two or three species are mentioned, probably dependent on what part of the country you live in.

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) — Eastern White Pine

Eastern White Pines (Pinus storbus) are native to North America and found from Minnesota south to Arkansas and east. This is the state tree of both Maine and Michigan. Considered the tallest native pine in the east, modern day trees are dwarfed by other trees in the genus, such as the Ponderosa and sugar pine. The single largest specimen, which can be found in Maine, is 132′ tall and has a circumference of 229 inches. The normal life expectancy of this species is about 200 years, although a fossilized log found in Ontario included 407 rings.

Most of the virgin forests have been logged, although the species is planted for reforestation. White pine timber has been used to build boats, furniture, and buildings. In the 1700s the trees were harvested to provide masts for the Royal Navy, thus leading to the Pine Tree Riot of 1772.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Trunk of an Eastern White Pine

Beyond their use as building materials and firewood, the white pine provided resin in the building of canoes. The sap was used as an antiseptic and chemicals found in white pine may still be used as ingredients in anti congestion medications. The Healing Power of Plants website also includes the information that a component chemical in white pines may be useful in combating LDL cholesterol. At least one site mentions the seeds were used to cure meats, and the cambium could be ground into a flour. This was used by both early settlers and Native American populations. Early blackboards were often made of white pine painted black.

The Eastern white pine is usually included on lists of trees sold for Christmas. One possible advantage to its use is it tends to hold onto its needles longer than other conifers.

They also have little aroma, which makes them a good choice for those who have sensitivities. But they are very full, bushy trees and their branches cannot accommodate heavy ornaments.

A white pine has only been used as the Capitol Christmas tree, also known as the People’s tree, twice in the fifty-four year history of the program. In both 1968 and 69 PARTs of an Eastern white pine were used. Although still listed as being a species used as a Christmas tree, even in Michigan it seems to have fallen out of favor. A recent study rated it #7 in acreage planted.

To find this (164) specimen, head to the southwest corner of City Park and Mulberry. It should be easy to find between the two handicapped parking signs seen in the photo above.

The Rest of the Tagged Spruce–Norway, Black Hills, and Oriental

The needles of the Oriental Spruce almost look fake.

There are three other identified spruce trees in City Park. The Black Hills Spruce adds to the name confusion as it is also known as the White Spruce, Western White Spruce, Alberta Spruce, etc. To further cloud matters, there is a tree called a Black Spruce, which is distinct from the Black Hills Spruce. And on top of that, some sources identify the Black Hills Spruce as Picea Glauca, the exact same taxonomic name as the White Spruce. On the City Park Self-Guided Tree Tour the tree is identified as Picea glauca var.densata. Apparently the Black Hills Spruce is more of a geographically distinct tree rather than a biologically distinct tree.

The Trees of North America website shows the range of this tree as being the northern part of the continent at a latitude that does not include Colorado but does include Wyoming. A Black Hills Spruce, the official tree of South Dakota, was the Capitol Christmas Tree in 1997. It is often used as a home Christmas tree.

One of the more unique spruces in the park is the Oriental Spruce (Picea orientalis), which is native to Asia Minor. This tree is said to grow to 50 to 60 feet and twice that height in its native environment. The specimen in City Park is more bush-sized. Although this is a slow growing tree, I suspect this little tree has not been in the park all that long.

Oriental-2 — The nearly perfect, almost fake looking twigs of the Oriental Spruce

The branches with their needles almost looks fake!

The Norway Spruce (Picea abies) is not native to the North American continent but is widespread in Europe. It has been “introduced” to the eastern part of North America. This tree is often grown in this country for Christmas trees, taking eight to eleven years to reach the ideal height of six to seven feet. One problem of using this in-house is that it tends to lose its needles rather quickly and must be freshly cut to be used for any length of time.

The lumber from this tree is probably of more importance in Europe than it is in this country, but due to many of its properties–spreading root system, hardy wood, a shape which keeps it from suffering much damage in ice and snow–it makes a good windbreak tree.

Norway-1-3 — Branches of the Norway spruce

The branches can also be used for spruce beer, the lumber for sounding boards, pulp, and paper. The pitch can be made into varnish and has medicinal uses.

Norway-1-2 — The bark of the Norway Spruce

The Oriental Spruce E47

is in an entirely new area of the park. To find this tree, drive all the way down Oak Street into the ballpark parking area or enter from Mountain Avenue. As Mountain is separated by a median, you will need to be heading east to access the parking lot. The tree, looking more like a shrub, is in the strip between the parking lot and the New Mercer Canal, toward the more northern end of this land. It is the only evergreen in the area.

Both the Norway Spruce (B112) and the Black Hills Spruce (B111) are accessible from the diagonal parking on Oak Street between Jackson and McKinley. Both trees are across from 1320 West Oak, the large red brick house with the sloping roof. In both instances the tags are easy to find.

The Colorado State Tree and some Friends

The first Colorado Blue Spruce was discovered on Pike’s Peak

CO Blue (1 of 1) — The Blue Spruce at the corner of Jackson and Mulberry

Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens or Picea pungens Engelm) was found on Pike’s Peak and later named by the father of the Engelmann spruce. In 1892 it was voted to be the state tree of Colorado, but this did not become official until the 1930s. There are possibly forty hybridizations of this tree, such as the Fat Albert (Picea pungens Fat Albert), the Baker Blue Spruce (Picea pungens Bakeri), and the Thomsen Blue Spruce (Picea pungens Thomsen). All three varieties can be found in City Park. The Thomsen Blue Spruce is listed as a state champion tree, although this can’t be verified on the list of 2017 State Champion Trees. The Fat Albert variety was developed in the 1970s, meaning the tree in City Park can only be around 50 years old.

Colorado Blue Spruce, which are seen throughout most of the Rocky Mountain states, may reach 600 years of age. According to conifers.org the tallest Colorado Blue Spruce grow in the San Juan Mountains near Pagosa Springs and these trees include both state and national champions. The Blue Spruce is another tree often used as a Christmas tree. They are grown in the east for this purpose. Most sources identify the native range of this tree to be the southern Rockies, but the USDA site adds some eastern states, such as New York. Another USDA site on the internet posits these trees are actually “escapees” and not native at all. A blue spruce has been the capitol Christmas tree three times. According to Wikipedia, the National Christmas tree has been a living blue spruce since 1973.

Like the White Spruce and the Engelmann Spruce, the Blue Spruce is known by other names, including white spruce, silver spruce and water spruce. Spruce seem easy to identify as Picea, but deciding on which species/variety each belongs to is as confusing as their various names. There are some differences between their leaves and cones but even these are difficult for the casual observer to determine.

Spruces-1

There are two tagged Colorado Blue Spruce in the park, but I could only locate the tagged one on the NW corner of Mulberry and Jackson C163. The tagged tree belongs to a small group of conifers and is the spruce closest to Jackson Street, near an Eastern White Pine. You have to “walk into” the branches to find the identifying tag.

CO BLUE — Branches of the Colorado Blue Spruce

To find the Thomsen Blue Spruce (C166),

follow the sidewalk that runs along Mulberry Street. This tree is the first evergreen west of the signaled crosswalk, more or less across from 1413 West Mulberry. Cones can be seen near the top of the tree.

Thomsen-3-3 — Close up of the needles on the Thomsen Blue Spruce

To find the Fat Albert D213, keep walking west and cross Sheldon Drive to the NW corner of Mulberry and Sheldon Drive. The tree is question is the spruce closer to the lake. The needles on the Fat Albert seem to be the stiffest and most prickly of the specimens collected and are very silvery-blue.

Fat Albert (1 of 1) — Needles on the Fat Albert

The last tagged Picea pungens cultivar in the park is at the SW corner of Sheldon Drive and City Park, the other end of Sheldon Lake. The Baker Blue Spruce (D194) is next to the tagged Engelmann Spruce.

Baker (1 of 1) — Branches on the Baker Blue Spruce

December is for Christmas Trees and Our First is a Champion

A popular tree to decorate for Christmas

Every year trees are brought to the nation’s capitol to adorn the Capitol lawn, outside the Whitehouse, and sometimes in the interior of the Whitehouse. The National Christmas Tree has been displayed, cut or planted, in the President’s Park as well as other spots. This tradition started in 1923. The most common tree used is a variety of spruce.

Although the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree tradition began before 1970, every year since then a different national forest has provided the tree. The White Spruce has been the tree of choice twelve times, the most of any single species. The tagged White Spruce (Picea glauca) in the City Park Arboretum near the intersection of City Park and Sheldon Drive is not only a native to Colorado, but a state champion tree. This tree probably does not call to mind a tree to decorate, though, as it is quite tall and somewhat spindly looking.

PB060067 — The State Champion White Spruce

The USDA shows this species as having a very northern range, including Wyoming, but not Colorado. The Forest Service shows its range as even more restrictive. North American Trees (Preston and Braham, 2002) appears to agree with the USFS. The map on the Gymnosperm Database also shows the distribution as very northern, mostly Canada, but goes on to list a number of states where the tree is native, again Wyoming but not Colorado. North American Trees says these trees do not reach maturity until 250-300 years and the Gymnosperm Database says the oldest tree, growing in the Yukon, is over 668 years old.

White spruce lumber has been used for sounding boards in violins and other instruments, for pulp, general construction, and Christmas trees. The National Christmas Tree Association suggests their short needles make them ideal for hanging ornaments. I examined the branches of the tree I bought for my house this year, and I’m thinking it very well may be a white spruce.

The tree is significant for wild life and its roots were used by Native Americans to weave baskets and bind canoes. A British Columbian website includes making snowshoes and bows in its uses. Resin was turned into a gum to stick arrowheads to arrows. Like most of the other trees reported on thus far, this one, too, has medicinal properties, including antiseptic, respiratory, and wound care. It has also been investigated for its relation to diabetes!

PB290008 — The needles and cone of the White Spruce

This specimen (A94) can be located by studying the tall conifers at the Northeast corner of City Park and Sheldon Drive. There are ten trees on this corner, but only two of them are conifers. The more northern of the two is the tagged tree, although I suspect the second tree is also a white spruce.