Lehi City News
Lehi’s Largest Living Landmark
Ryann Anderegg | Lehi Free Press
A tree in Lehi is capturing the attention of arborists, neighbors, and history buffs. At 101 feet tall, more than 150 years old, and stretching wider than nearly any Norway spruce in the state, it is a remarkable sight. Its owner, Nate Ekins, calls it his “most prized possession,” and experts say it could soon claim the title of Utah’s largest Norway spruce.
The tree, located at 310 W 500 N, has quietly grown into a neighborhood landmark. It stands just eight feet from Ekins’ modest home, yet its roots have never disturbed the foundation. “Back when I bought the property, the best place for my bed was 8–10 feet from the tree,” Ekins said. “I sometimes worried when there were windstorms. Amazingly, the tree sits about 8 feet from the little house and has never bothered it with root growth. I’ve only had to trim it 2–3 times in 28 years to keep it off the house. It’s as if it’s aware now and stays away from the house!”
The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands has already measured the tree, comparing it to the current state record holder, a 110-foot Norway spruce in Smithfield Cemetery. That tree has been recognized as Utah’s largest of the species, but Ekins’ spruce may soon take its place.
“The one in Smithfield is currently rated above mine,” Ekins explained. “But the DNR said mine is far more ‘impressive’, it’s 9 feet shorter, but far wider, and about the same trunk diameter. It’s hard to find one larger in the U.S.”
Measurements used in national big tree registries include height, circumference at breast height (about 54 inches up the trunk), and crown spread. The Smithfield spruce edges Ekins’ tree in height, but by Farley’s account, the Lehi tree is more massive overall, spreading 15 feet wider in every direction. Ekins hopes that new calculations could officially elevate his tree to the top spot.
One of Ekin’s neighbors has lived nearby since 1950 and describes it as the defining feature of the street. “He refers to this tree as a ‘landmark’ and has always told people who want to find his house just to take 300 W until they see the biggest pine tree they’ve ever seen,” Ekins recalled. “He claims it’s always been about as large since 1950, but if you look closely, it grows about 3 to 4 inches each spring.”
The tree’s massive cones, 5 to 6 inches long, among the largest of any spruce species, scatter across Ekins’ yard with every windstorm. He laughs about the inconvenience: “If I were asked to say one bad thing about my prized possession, it would be about 3 times per year, as it gets bigger and bigger, wind storms knock down hundreds of pine cones.”
Despite the occasional cleanup, Ekins takes pride in the habitat his spruce provides. “Squirrels have always lived here as they can’t resist the nuts from the Norway spruce,” he said. “Owls live and hunt in it. It’s common to see raptors of all kinds sitting on a branch eating.”
Dating places the tree’s age at around 1870, give or take three years, making it likely one of the oldest surviving Norway spruces in Utah County. That date situates the planting just after the Civil War and only two decades after Mormon pioneers first settled the region.
“I wish I knew the whole story,” Ekins said. “155 years is a long time, but I’m certain records exist that I haven’t found. I’ve found a lot of records about past owners of the house dating back to 1865.”
Historic aerial photos and county parcel records indicate that the tree has stood prominently since at least the mid-20th century. Ekins has owned the property for 27 years and admits the tree was one of the reasons he bought it in the first place. “I have seen all the old Norway spruce around Utah County die in the past decades. None were even close to being as large as mine. This tree is my most prized possession; I hope it outlives me.”
While Norway spruces can live 200–300 years, few reach such an extraordinary size outside their native range. “The owner of NorwaySpruce.com, for instance, sells them for windbreaks,” Ekins said. “He’s from Iowa and says he knew of some slightly younger and smaller than mine, but all have died due to drought or tornadoes.”
That makes the Lehi spruce even more exceptional. “It’s rare to see them get this way,” Ekins explained. “I’ve only seen a few pictures from the U.S. of the limbs being as wide 60–70 feet up as at the base.”
For Ekins, the challenge now is ensuring the tree survives for generations to come. He hopes it might be granted protection status, particularly when it comes to water rights. With adequate care, arborists believe the tree could live another century.
Whether or not it soon replaces the Smithfield spruce as Utah’s official champion, the Lehi Norway spruce is already a local treasure, a living reminder of endurance, resilience, and the quiet grandeur of nature in the middle of a growing city.
