Meet the NYC man who chooses the Rockefeller Center tree each year

He is a real conifer.

A visit to Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree—stunningly tall, dazzlingly lit—is one of NYC’s most treasured holiday rituals.

And behind every fascinator chopped up and brought into the Big Apple to brighten spirits this Christmas is just one man with an eye for perfection—quite possibly one of the only people toiling in the concrete jungle of Midtown on the job of Head Gardener. .

But that’s exactly what Erik Pauze does at Rockefeller Center, where he’s toiled for four decades — the 58-year-old from Long Island told The Post he “easily” surveys 100 trees in a six-state radius each year, saying spruce-geddaboudit! for any number of smaller specimens before determining exactly which one is ready for prime time.

The 2024 winner that arrived Saturday — and will be lit with the usual fanfare on Dec. 4 — is a 74-foot-tall, 11-ton Norway spruce that’s also 43 feet in diameter.

The stunning ornament comes from the tony Berkshires countryside of West Stockbridge, Mass. — is the first Bay State beauty to take pride of place in the fancy square since 1959.

The journey from local resident Earl Albert’s backyard began in 2020, when Pauze was in the area looking at another potential candidate, he said.

“I would go out during these four years … and keep an eye on it,” said the farmer, who has been in charge of tree selection since 2010.

He often discovers future trees—which must be judged strong and symmetrical enough to handle 50,000 large holiday lights—near past or ancestral ones.

After getting to know the tree and its owner — and overseeing the pampering of the future prize making sure it was well cared for — Pauze said “this year was just the way it should be.”

“It was perfect,” he enthused.

Season’s greetings

Building relationships with families like the Alberts and getting to know the communities they live in is a key part of the job, Pauze found.

It was the 2021 tree, which came from Elkton, Md., that students from a nearby school gave a grand send-off by lining local streets, and that from the small Florida town of New York’s Hudson Valley, where a giant The American flag was flown to honor the small town’s big gift in 2019.

This year, it was all about hanging out — and waiting, sometimes in rocking chairs on the porch of the Albert House, in full view of the lit fir tree. The logistics of getting the tree ready to go—feeding it, controlling growth, and techniques for trimming day—is a friendly but lengthy process.

“We were just going back and forth like two old buddies out there,” Pauze said. “It was wonderful.”

“I spent so much time there I was starting to call his house my upstairs office,” the evergreen creative joked, noting that he even went to a high school varsity football game with family a few Friday nights ago. to watch their son play.

“These are the kind of memories that stick around every year,” he said. “And then taking the tree to Rockefeller Center, setting it up and saying, ‘Man, this looks just as good as in the yard.'”

Earl was only too happy to donate much of the forestry to honor his late mother’s love of Christmas, he said.

This week, the huge body was dismantled, loaded onto a 115-foot trailer and taken south for its final act.

How to pick a winner at home

Although much lower profile with just a few white lights and ornaments, Pauze is also responsible for selecting his family’s 6- to 7-foot tree for their Suffolk County home each holiday season.

The botanist shopped much closer to home this time – and still hasn’t been recognized, he laughed.

“I usually like a Fraser fir for stronger branches in the house,” Pauze said.

“You want to make sure that no needle is lost. This is a big point,” he added.

As Pauze noted, if a quick shake of the tree shows the dropping of green needles, this is an indication of dryness and, therefore, a fire hazard.

“Sometimes I get a really fresh tree in my house and it will soak up water all New Year’s,” he marveled.

Double or triple check that a tree has been “freshly cut to the bottom” – which will ensure it absorbs as much water as possible.

Fraser firs can be distinguished by the flattened clear, almost sharp, dark green needles on their extra strong branches, according to Michigan State University. Pauze says to also look for straight branches, a straight trunk and very few shed needles.

Last year, the average price of a fresh tree ranged from $80 to $100, according to the American Christmas Tree Association. A September survey by the organization reflects that most retailers do not anticipate higher wholesale prices for the 2024 buying season.

Pauze said prices usually vary depending on where they are purchased. The Wall Street Journal reported that trees closer to 14 meters can cost as much as $250.

According to Curbed, tree vendors on New York’s streets often source their greenery from legitimate farms as far away as Canada or Oregon. Most are from Canada, New Hampshire or Vermont. Some have retreated from down south to North Carolina, the Los Angeles Times reported.

However, they may be of lower quality compared to what Tri-State offers.

“The city environment is harder on trees, so you can find healthier ones outside the city — if you’re willing to make the trip,” Pauze said.

To help ensure an attractive display, consider symmetry and stand five to eight feet back to get a better perspective on color, shape and even scent, according to tree experts at Lowe’s Home Improvement Center. The trunk should not be visible through the branches.

Other signs of poor quality include needles that break immediately or are discolored.