National Christmas Tree Has Died Near White House

WASHINGTON — Federal officials say the National Christmas Tree planted near the White House a year ago has died and is being removed.

The National Park Service says the Colorado blue spruce died of "transplant shock." It came from a tree farm in New Jersey last year and was planted on the Ellipse just south of the White House in March 2011.

The tree replaced a tree that had stood on the Ellipse since 1978 but was destroyed by high winds in February 2011.

Workers are removing the dead tree Saturday. The National Park Service says it has already identified a Colorado blue spruce to replace the tree and will plant the new National Christmas Tree in October, just in time to be decorated for the holiday.

Earlier on HuffPost:

Loading Slideshow

• National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

  The 2011 National Christmas Tree is lit by U.S. President Barack Obama and the First Family during a ceremony on The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C., on December 1, 2011. (SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

• National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

  People gather around the National Christmas Tree after it was was lit during its lighting ceremony on December 1, 2011 at the Ellipse, south of the White House, in Washington, D.C. The first family participated in the 89th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

• National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

  U.S. President Barack Obama sings with Santa Claus during the 2011 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C, on December 1, 2011. (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

• National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

  U.S. President Barack Obama smiles with daughters Sasha (L) and Malia (R) while watching First Lady Michelle Obama read to children during the annual lighting of the National Christmas tree on December 1, 2011 at The Ellipse in Washington, D.C. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

• National Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

  The 2011 National Christmas Tree is lit by U.S. President Barack Obama and the First Family during a ceremony on The Ellipse near the White House in Washington, D.C., on December 1, 2011. (JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)

Comments

[tippy301]

12:07 PM on 06/02/2012

Dead tree ? "Plant a tree, a shrub or, a Bush." Has anyone seen Bo lately ?

[randolphnolen]

01:09 AM on 05/27/2012

Are you sure Obama didn't secretly order it killed so it could be replaced by some kind of Muslim shrine?

[vincentguglielmo]

02:01 AM on 06/02/2012

You have down syndrome.

[Superabound]

04:53 AM on 06/02/2012

It died because Andrew Breitbart always used that spot as a dead-drop for his coke buys. And since hes been too dead to come by and pick up his drugs, the rainwater washed it into the roots and killed the tree.

[seepositives]

01:22 PM on 05/25/2012

this current administration has a problem...every problem they try to tackle dies creating more.

[seepositives]

01:16 PM on 05/25/2012

why replant then, itd have a better chance to get roots if planted during summer growing season.

[gabillyjacks]

04:44 PM on 05/21/2012

I'm not surprised with Obama there.

[dumber everyday]

06:09 PM on 05/18/2012

global warming!!!!!!!!!lol

[Hailey Delamaire]

03:38 PM on 05/07/2012

Why transplant a tree that big? Especially given the obvious soil and temperature differences between where they're harvested and where they're planted. Wonder how much this grand expenditure cost and who paid for it...

[badc005]

04:55 PM on 05/07/2012

Silly We paid for it.

[Lord Nigel]

11:51 AM on 05/07/2012

I told Barack to keep his dog away from that tree! Dumb thing kept peeing on it.

[dumber everyday]

06:08 PM on 05/18/2012

lol

[Bobby Dove]

11:25 AM on 05/25/2012

ROFL :))

[xxjawmorexx]

11:47 AM on 05/07/2012

smiles 41 funny lol. likemessage

[althoffz]

09:12 AM on 05/07/2012

Mrs Obama's garden project at work

[smiles41]

08:48 AM on 05/07/2012

When told obama could possibly be there 4 more LONG years,,,it simply committed suicide. The EPA will investigate.

[patfitz1245]

08:04 AM on 05/07/2012

its just like everything obama has touhed, stimulas package, unemployment bemefits, job packages, they all died too,,,,, now the tree died, who would of known??? whatever,, don't shake his hand..

[Sledge Rockwell]

07:16 AM on 05/26/2012

Duhuhhhhhhh...derrrrr...

(that's what you sound like..)

[Superabound]

04:54 AM on 06/02/2012

Ok so 1. dont shake Obamas hand, 2. whatever you do dont accept a car ride to Canada from Romney, 3. dont drive on the same road as Laura Bush when shes been drinking....hold on let me go get a pen

[buminthesun421]

04:40 AM on 05/07/2012

My heart goes out to the family and friends of the tree.

[champ3x7]

02:34 AM on 05/07/2012

What an irony. The tree died while a dem was in office. Aren't the dems the party who SAYS it's all about protecting the environment? Relax. It's tongue-in-cheek humor. Nobody SAW Obama pour the rat poison on the tree's roots. I mean, he'd NEVER do that to a symbol of a holiday that came about from celebrating the birth of Christ, right?

[Micheal Anderson]

05:06 AM on 05/07/2012

You mean because he's a Muslim, amirite?

I knew I was.

[champ3x7]

04:53 PM on 05/07/2012

No, you're NOT right. You merely THINK you are. I never said it was about him being a Muslim. I said it because he's a liberal dem and liberal dems don't tolerate us Chritians very well. That said, you're right. he IS a Muslim and I'm ecstatic that one of you libs actually admits it......even if he, himself, won't.

[Sledge Rockwell]

07:17 AM on 05/26/2012

You embarrass us all.

[HatInTheCat]

11:53 PM on 05/06/2012

If you are going to be transplanting a tree, why wouldn't you do it in Spring? To let it adjust to the new dirt and area. I've seen HUGE trees moved in my hometown - they were going to be chopped due to road works but the people power spoke and they were moved to a nearby massive park instead. Its been over 10 years and they still have anchor ropes holding them down, and they took about 2 years to look "normal" again, and they stayed in the same suburb. I would think moving a tree from another part of the country would traumatise it significantly, especially in a cold month in a cold part of the country. Yep, people sure are SMRT smart.

[barbnearl]

08:42 AM on 05/07/2012

finally someone with some sense