Stumpy (tree)
Stumpy the Cherry Tree, often just called Stumpy, was a Yoshino cherry tree situated along the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C.[1] The tree became popular in the 21st century due to its battered appearance which was caused by repeated flooding of the basin.[2] The tree became waterlogged in the 20th century due to repeated tidal flooding caused by land subsidence and rising sea levels.[3] The tree only had three to four flowering branches and a hollowed-out trunk by the time it became popular.[3] Stumpy was removed on May 24, 2024 as part of a project to repair the basin's sea wall.[4] History20th century: Planting and climate changeStumpy is descended from the 3,020 trees gifted to the United States by Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki in 1912 as a symbol of Japanese-American friendship.[5][6] The National Park Service estimates that Stumpy was planted in 1999; however, because its trunk is hollowed and has no tree rings, it's difficult to know exactly how old the tree is.[7] Climate change and the sinking of the Tidal Basin's sea wall contributed to the tree's demise.[8][3] Overall, land has sunk by five feet while water levels had risen by one foot.[3] This combination had led to the land around the basin flooding twice a day at high tide.[8] In addition to being waterlogged, the tree is also victim to sun-scalding, overgrowth of fungi, and compacted soil.[7] 21st century: Rise to fame and removalDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, a Reddit user posted a photo of the tree in the "r/washingtondc" subreddit and compared Stumpy's appearance to their love life.[2][1] Social media posts and accompanying traditional media increased the tree's notoriety.[8] Posts often focused on the ability of the tree to bloom despite its condition and harsh environment.[7] Axios, a news media outlet, also compared the tree to Tiny Timber, an undersized Christmas tree in D.C.'s Columbia Heights Civic Plaza in 2022.[9] After the tree's rise to fame, individuals had left flowers, art, gifts, and bottles of liquids at the base of the tree.[7] The tree had been described by National Park Service workers as a 'folk hero', being the most asked-about tree along the Tidal Basin.[7][2] Additionally, the tree had become anthropomorphized to the point that the public more often uses masculine pronouns than "it" when referring to the tree.[7] In early 2024, it was announced by the National Park Service that Stumpy would be one of 153 cherry trees removed as part of a $113 million project to repair the Tidal Basin's sea wall.[2] By this time, Stumpy had become too brittle and hollowed out to be successfully transplanted to a different location.[8][3] Instead, in April 2024, the National Park Service and National Arboretum took clippings of Stumpy to propagate new cherry trees that are genetically the same as Stumpy.[2][8] These propagations have been referred to as "baby Stumpies" and "Stumpy 2.0" by media outlets.[8] The tree was removed on Friday, May 24, 2024.[4][10] In mid-August 2024, the National Arboretum announced that the clippings of Stumpy had been successfully cloned, with five viable clones.[11] In popular culture
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