Capitol Christmas tree to come from Ariz.

ALPINE – This year’s Capitol Christmas tree will be an 85-foot blue spruce from Arizona’s White Mountains.

Ted Bechtol, superintendent of the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, made the final selection this week after reviewing 10 candidates from the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

Bechtol didn’t spend long looking at the winning tree. He says it’s nice and tall, has good color, no obvious defects and is one of the fuller trees he saw.

But Bechtol says the tree’s 27-inch trunk diameter might pose a challenge in transporting it to Washington after it’s cut in early November.

The tradition of having states provide a Capitol Christmas tree started nearly 40 years ago, and this year is the first year that the tree will come from Arizona.