A seedling from a bald cypress tree called "The Senator" now grows at the Longview Arboretum in Longview, Texas. The original tree stood at Big Tree Park in Central Florida and was 165 feet tall. It burned in January 2012, according to Dr. Dave Creech of SFA Gardens, who called the loss the "murder" of The Senator.
A tree nurseryman salvaged usable wood from the ruins, and the wood began producing seed. About 1,200 seedlings came from the tree last year. Arboretum gardeners received one as a door prize in a raffle at a horticulture class at SFA. The seedling was planted among the pine trees at the arboretum.
Gardener Ken Davis said the site was chosen so the tree would stand out and visitors could learn its history. He said the tree has doubled in size in about a year and could grow eight times its current height in 10 to 20 years. The arboretum plans to add a plaque to mark the tree's significance.