Projo Politics Blog

Those who sipped cider and munched gingerbread cookies in the State House rotunda during Friday’s tree lighting ceremony Friday night probably didn’t know that the tree they applauded was not the original.

Political Scene has learned that for the second time in three years, state officials were forced to switch the state’s Christmas tree.

This year’s exchange was less dramatic than in 2005, when a flame retardant spray left the State House holiday symbol nearly needle-less. Political Scene grew suspicious last week after noticing that state employees appeared to be decorating the tree for a second time. The governor’s office later confirmed that problems were discovered with the original 17-foot Colorado blue spruce after the lights had been put on.

“As they were setting up the first tree, it was noticed that the tree had some damage to some of the branches. As a result of that damage, it appeared that some of the needles were drying out,” the governor’s spokesman, Jeff Neal, said.

State employees tried to save the tree. They bored holes into the trunk and tried to fit replacement branches into the damaged areas. It didn’t quite work.

“It appeared that the tree would probably be fine through December,” Neal said. “However, in an abundance of caution, and in memory of events in recent years, it was decided to reach out to the Leyden family and to seek a replacement tree.”

The state Department of Transportation shipped the old tree back to Leyden’s Tree Farm, in West Greenwich, and returned with the replacement tree that now stands in the rotunda. Members of the governor’s office of constituent affairs spent much of last week decorating for a second time.

--By Steve Peoples, Scott Mackay and John E. Mulligan

---