For years, L.A.’s Grove shopping center hosted the nation’s tallest Christmas tree. Will this year’s title go to Citadel Outlets in City of Commerce?

Citadel is planning to bring a 115-foot-tall white fir tree from a forest near Mount Shasta in Northern California. The tree is so big that movers will have to cut off some of its branches to make the five-day trek to Commerce this fall. The branches will be reattached upon arrival. The move itself will cost about $230,000.

“The tree will make the Citadel the holiday attraction in Southern California,” said Steven Craig, founder of outlet mall developer Craig Realty Co.

The tree is slated to arrive at the Citadel in mid-October, with a lighting ceremony set for Nov. 9, the same day a five-store, 35,000-square-foot expansion of the outlet mall debuts.

Citadel’s tree may edge out a 110-foot white fir tree in the courtyard of the Grove, the shopping center developed by billionaire Rick Caruso. For several years, the Grove tree held the distinction of being the nation’s tallest Christmas tree. But in 2011, the Grove shared the title with another Craig property, Anthem near Phoenix. The tree planned for the Citadel is a sister to the tree at Anthem, from the same grove.

Traci Markel, marketing manager for Citadel Outlets, said mall management was looking into having the Guinness Book of World Records certify the tree as the world’s tallest cut tree.

– Howard Fine