x
Breaking News
More () »

North Carolina to provide US Capitol Christmas Tree

The 78-foot red spruce, affectionately known as "Ruby," will be harvested in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest in November.
Credit: AP
The 2021 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is lit after a ceremony on the West Front Lawn of Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The calendar just turned to October but planning for the holiday season is underway, with the announcement that the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will come from western North Carolina. 

The tree, a 78-foot tall red spruce affectionately known as "Ruby," will be harvested from the Pisgah National Forest in early November before making a nearly 1,000-mile trip to the Capitol. The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, known as "The People's Tree," will adorn the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol. 

Each Capitol tree is picked from a different national forest. Last year's tree was selected from the Six Rivers National Forest in California. The tradition of dating the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree dates back to 1964. 

Click here to sign up for the daily Wake Up Charlotte newsletter

North Carolina's produced several famous Christmas trees over the years, including last year's official White House Christmas tree. Peak Farms, run by Russell Estes and his son, Beau, also provided the White House tree in 2012 and former Vice President Mike Pence's tree in 2018. 

Ruby's journey to the Capitol will include a series of community celebrations before she's delivered on Nov. 18 and decorated with handmade ornaments and tree skirts created by North Carolinians. 

The U.S. Forest Service is hosting a harvest celebration on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 3 p.m. until 5 pm. at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher, North Carolina. Visitors can take a "walk" through an interactive display of the four national forests in North Carolina and learn about each forest's ecosystems. The event is free and open to the public. 

Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.   
SUBSCRIBEApple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts   

All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out