Washington Residents Scramble To Save This One Cherry Tree!
Washington, D.C., is mourning for the sad news that Stumpy, a beloved cherry tree at the Tidal Basin, will soon be gone. But there’s good news for Stumpy’s admirers. Arborists will grow new trees from clippings of Stumpy at the National Arboretum. This idea gives hope that Stumpy’s memory can live on. Even participants in the online campaign to save Stumpy are excited about that project. Let’s have a closer look at why Stumpy’s removal would break the hearts of everyone.
Stumpy: The Internet Sensation Cherry Blossom Tree
Stumpy became famous in 2020 because of a funny Reddit post. The post compared its droopy branches to awkward romantic moments which made the tree popular online.
Arborists have identified that the cherry tree’s trunk is hollow inside. This is one of the main reasons why it’s on the list of 158 trees set for removal in a $113 million project to fix a sea wall near the National Mall. This project is happening because of worries about climate change.
Overall, the National Park Service plans to remove approximately 300 of the 3,700 trees along the Tidal Basin reservoir. The area lies between the Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials. They want to strengthen the walls along the reservoir and the west Potomac River.
Why Transplantation Isn’t Feasible?
The weak condition of Stumpy makes it impossible to transplant or move him. Experts have observed Stumpy’s decline. They describe it as a “mortality spiral” because of his hollow trunk and very little bark left.
Stumpy doesn’t have rings that indicate his age anymore, showing he’s quite old. He struggles to get enough nutrients to keep his few branches alive. All these factors make trying to move Stumpy impractical. Arborists say even getting him out of the ground without harm is unlikely, especially considering his weakened condition.
Preserving Stumpy’s Legacy
The National Arboretum and the National Park Service work together to clone the beloved Stumpy. They’ll grow new trees from pieces of Stumpy at the Arboretum and then replant them in the Tidal Basin.
This initiative gives us hope that Stumpy will stay around for years to come. Therefore people in the future can still appreciate and enjoy it.
Community Rallies to Save Stumpy
Stumpy’s yearly blossoms, mean a lot to people in D.C. A resident who lives there started a petition on Change.org to stop Stumpy from removal.
The petitioner urges replanting the original tree. They believe the experts at the National Arboretum can do it, and they really want to keep Stumpy’s memory alive.
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