The lighting of the Christmas tree is one of the most festive events on the yearly calendar of American communities. It is one of the few occasions that brings communities together and is a source of civic pride as well competition as to what town has the tallest or most dazzling tree.
Many of the tallest Christmas trees in each state are in the state’s capitol building. Other trees are routinely displayed in venues well-known to the public, such as Rockefeller Center in New York and atop the Macy’s building in Atlanta. Malls, such as the Outlets of Anthem in Phoenix, Arizona, and the Citadel Outlets in Los Angeles, boast that the trees they display there are the tallest in those states.
Not all Christmas trees fit the Currier & Ives image of the season: In Hawaii, the biggest Christmas tree is a banyan tree displayed in Courthouse Square in Lahaina. Maine’s largest tree is made of lobster traps.
24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of the tallest Christmas tree on public display in every state. We contacted state chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, forestry organizations, and Christmas tree associations. We also reviewed media reports on Christmas tree lightings in various states. Since many of the tallest trees have yet to be raised this holiday season, we used the best available information from last year for the list. Many of the tree-lighting traditions use natural trees such as Scotch pine, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, Balsam fir, and white pine. Other localities have opted for artificial trees, and 24/7 Wall St. has included those as well. Heights for trees in some states are estimates.
Read on to find where the biggest tree in each state is on display this year.
Click here to see the tallest Christmas tree in every state.
1. Alabama
> Location: Capitol Building, Montgomery
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Eastern Red Cedar
2. Alaska
> Location: Petersburg
> Height: 70 feet
> Type of tree: Sitka spruce
3. Arizona
> Location: Outlets at Anthem, Phoenix
> Height: 80 feet
> Type of tree: White fir
4. Arkansas
> Location: Downtown Little Rock
> Height: 65 feet
> Type of tree: White fir
5. California
> Location: Citadel Outlets, Los Angeles
> Height: 110 feet
> Type of tree: White fir
6. Colorado
> Location: Kremmling
> Height: 85 feet
> Type of tree: Blue spruce
7. Connecticut
> Location: Lake Compounce
> Height: 100 feet
> Type of tree: Assembled
8. Delaware
> Location: Rehoboth Beach
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Leyland Cypress Evergreen
9. Florida
> Location: Old School Square, Delray Beach
> Height: 100 feet
> Type of tree: Aluminum frame
10. Georgia
> Location: Lenox Square Mall, Atlanta
> Height: 56 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
11. Hawaii
> Location: Courthouse Square, Lahaina
> Height: 60 feet
> Type of tree: Banyan
12. Idaho
> Location: The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Coeur d’Alene
> Height: 162 feet
> Type of tree: Grand fir
13. Illinois
> Location: Millenium Park, Chicago
> Height: 60 feet
> Type of tree: Norwegian spruce
14. Indiana
> Location: Monument Circle, Indianapolis
> Height: 242 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
15. Iowa
> Location: State Capitol, Des Moines
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Spruce
16. Kansas
> Location: WaKeeney
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Handmade from fresh greenery
17. Kentucky
> Location: Lexington Convention Center, Lexington
> Height: 30 feet (approx.)
> Type of tree: N/A
18. Louisiana
> Location: Shreveport
> Height: 40 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
19. Maine
> Location: Rockland
> Height: 50 feet
> Type of tree: Made of lobster traps
20. Maryland
> Location: National Harbor, Oxon Hill
> Height: 65 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
21. Massachusetts
> Location: Faneuil Hall, Boston
> Height: 46 feet
> Type of tree: White spruce
22. Michigan
> Location: Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, Muskegon
> Height: 67 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
23. Minnesota
> Location: Duluth
> Height: 120 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
24. Mississippi
> Location: Outlets at Vicksburg
> Height: 50 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
25. Missouri
> Location: Mayor’s Christmas Tree, Crown Center, Kansas City
> Height: 100 feet
> Type of tree: Douglas fir
26. Montana
> Location: Capitol Building, Helena
> Height: 30 feet
> Type of tree: Douglas fir
27. Nebraska
> Location: Durham Museum, Omaha
> Height: 50 feet
> Type of tree: Blue spruce
28. Nevada
> Location: Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks
> Height: 70 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
29. New Hampshire
> Location: Portsmouth
> Height: 30 feet
> Type of tree: Blue Spruce
30. New Jersey
> Location: Grand Arcade, Asbury Park
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Douglas fir
31. New Mexico
> Location: Old Town, Albuquerque
> Height: 55 feet
> Type of tree: Combination of trees
32. New York
> Location: Rockefeller Center, New York City
> Height: 72 feet
> Type of tree: Norway spruce
33. North Carolina
> Location: Biltmore House, Asheville
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Norway spruce
34. North Dakota
> Location: Capitol Building, Bismarck
> Height: 40 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
35. Ohio
> Location: Toledo Zoo
> Height: 85 feet
> Type of tree: Norway spruce
36. Oklahoma
> Location: Tulsa Winterfest
> Height: 44 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
37. Oregon
> Location: Pioneer Square, Portland
> Height: 75 feet
> Type of tree: Douglas fir
38. Pennsylvania
> Location: Kennywood Park, West Mifflin
> Height: 100 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
39. Rhode Island
> Location: Watch Hill
> Height: 34 feet
> Type of tree: Fir
40. South Carolina
> Location: Statehouse Grounds, Columbia
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Frasier fir
41. South Dakota
> Location: State Capitol, Pierre
> Height: 27.5 feet
> Type of tree: N/A
42. Tennessee
> Location: Memphis Botanical Garden, Memphis
> Height: 80 feet
> Type of tree: Contorted white pine
43. Texas
> Location: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth
> Height: 74 feet
> Type of tree: Norwegian spruce
44. Utah
> Location: The Outlets at Traverse Mountain, Lehi
> Height: 75 feet
> Type of tree: Douglas fir
45. Vermont
> Location: Burlington
> Height: 40 feet
> Type of tree: Blue spruce
46. Virginia
> Location: Executive Mansion, Richmond
> Height: 26 feet
> Type of tree: Norway spruce
47. Washington
> Location: Puyallup
> Height: 185 feet
> Type of tree: Artificial
48. West Virginia
> Location: State Capitol, Charleston
> Height: 35 feet
> Type of tree: Spruce
49. Wisconsin
> Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay
> Height: 50 feet
> Type of tree: Balsam fir tree
50. Wyoming
> Location: Depot Plaza, Cheyenne
> Height: 25-30 feet
> Type of tree: N/A