Christmas tree for U.S. Capitol en route

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A U.S. Forest Service spokesman said an 85-foot blue spruce is being transported from Arizona to Washington to be displayed as the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. Forest Service spokesman Jim Payne said the tree was cut down in Arizona's White Mountains and began its long journey Saturday to the nation's capital on a 105-foot flatbed truck, The Arizona Republic reported Sunday.

"Basically, it's one of the best representatives of a blue-spruce tree we could have found," Payne said. "It's a beautiful tree."

Ted Bechtol, the U.S. Capitol's superintendent of the grounds, chose the tree from among 10 finalists residing in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests.

The tree will be the star of an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Washington in early December. This year, U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has the honors of flipping the switch to activate the Capitol tree's 10,000 lights.

The Republic said in addition to the blue spruce, Arizona will also send 75 smaller companion trees to Washington for the holiday season. Those trees will be used to decorate federal offices like those of the U.S. Departments of Agriculture.