New National Christmas Tree planted Saturday on the Ellipse

A new national monument of sorts, a natural one, was implanted in Washington soil Saturday, a few hundred yards behind the White House.

A new National Christmas Tree was put in place on the Ellipse, the grassy park area south of the White House, according to the National Park Service.

Pointing like a green spire into the gray Saturday sky, it is, according to the Park Service, a 30-foot Colorado blue spruce. It is to be lit Dec. 5 for the first time, during the 97th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, the Park Service said.

It was brought on Friday from Palmyra, Pa., and was lifted into place Saturday by crane. It is no easy task to move and maintain so large a tree, the Park Service said.

Although this time of year is ideal for planting, transplant shock remains a possibility, the Park Service said.

The new arrival will be closely monitored to ease the transition, according to the Park Service.

It replaces another Colorado blue spruce that was planted seven years ago but suffered assaults by man and nature. A windstorm on Jan, 3, 2014, inflicted damage, and more damage was caused by someone who tried to climb it last year.

Currently the new tree seems to lack the traditional triangular profile of the spruce. That is because its branches were tied up for travel; they will be unbound over the next few days, the Park Service said.

A live tree has stood on the Ellipse since 1973, the Park Service said.