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Stumpy, DC’s famous cherry blossom tree, dies at 25

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Stumpy, a well-known cherry blossom tree in the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, has died at an estimated 25 years of age, the National Park Service said.


Archive photo of Stumpy, the cherry blossom tree at the Tidal Basin in DC (WTOP/Jimmy Alexander)

Stumpy, a popular cherry blossom tree in Washington, DC’s Tidal Basin, has died at an estimated 25 years of age. It fell victim to seawall failure and needed to be repaired, according to a statement from the National Park Service.

Stumpy’s exact age was unknown for years because there were no countable growth rings in his hollowed-out trunk.

As hollow as his stump may have been, many people said Stumpy was a little cherry blossom tree with a lot of heart – and one with a lot of fans. Petite but iconic, Stumpy captured the hearts of Washington DC residents and tourists, all of whom rooted for the little tree in his final moments.

Born and raised in the rough waters of the Tidal Basin, Stumpy was known as a sweetheart and even a class clown among his tree-dwelling peers. He especially enjoyed having his photo taken with visitors and never let his increasing health problems spoil his bright smile.

During his final bloom, visitors came to the Tidal Basin to share their hopes and well wishes with the little cherry tree that could make it and to encourage the National Parks Service to save Stumpy in any way possible.

Stumpy first came into the spotlight in 2020 when it went viral on Reddit for comparing it to a user’s love life.

Until its death, the tree entered what tree surgeons call a “death spiral”: it suffered from the effects of aging, its bark was burned by the sun, fungal infections spread, and it lived in depleted and compacted soil.

Stumpy died on May 24; he was one of about 150 trees removed between the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.

Stumpy leaves behind thousands of family and friends in the United States and around the world, as well as many relatives in Japan.

Following Stumpy’s loss, the National Park Service announced plans to replant 274 additional cherry trees in the area.

Arborists have also taken cuttings from Stumpy in hopes of expanding his lineage and keeping the slanting titan of the Tidal Basin alive for years to come. These little ones will hopefully propagate and become just as impressive as their Prunus parents.

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