
Stumpy lives again.
Clones of the scraggly, beloved cherry blossom tree felled two years ago in the nation’s capital have flowered for the first time this spring, reaching what federal officials described Wednesday as a “pinnacle achievement.”
The U.S. National Arboretum said in a statement that the plant material used to propagate the Yoshino cherry clones was collected in the summer of 2024. It was one of thousands that line the banks of the Tidal Basin reservoir between the Thomas Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials.
The new trees are healthy and have put on substantial growth since forming their own root systems, according to the statement. They will remain at a non-public research area until the National Park Service can replant them, perhaps as soon as next spring, the arboretum said.
“It is our hope that the story and spirit of these trees will inspire future generations of cherry tree enthusiasts around the world — deepening cultural connections for years to come,” Richard Olsen, the arboretum’s director, said in a statement included in the release.
Stumpy sat on the banks of the Tidal Basin, near the National Mall. The tree rose to fame in 2020, with a viral Reddit post saying the tree was as dead as the user’s love life — but he still loved it.
With a hollow interior trunk, Stumpy was among 158 trees felled in 2024 as part of a project aimed at shoring up a sea wall near the National Mall.
Speaking to NBC News on the eve of Stumpy’s passing, a tourist compared the tree to the ugly duckling.
“It’s by itself, and it just stands out,” she said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Pulsars to the extreme: Spinning dead stars found blasting radio signals from the 'edge of their magnetic reach' - 2
Investigating the Advantages of a Bank account: A Complete Aide - 3
Vote in favor of your Number one natural product - 4
The most exciting exoplanet discoveries of 2025 - 5
Manual for Tracking down the Mysterious Cascades in China
Scientists document a death from a meat allergy tied to certain ticks
$30K Disability Scam Implodes After Surf Trip in Mexico
What Yogurt Types Do You Know
RFK Jr.'s vaccine panel delays hepatitis B shot vote after chaotic meeting
NASA’s Artemis II launch leaves Americans in awe: ‘We’re going to the frickin’ moon!’
3D Printers for Specialists
Christmas 2025 skywatching guide: What you can see in the night sky on Dec. 25
Coca-Cola Co. and bottlers to invest in South Africa operations
James Webb Space Telescope watches our Milky Way galaxy's monster black hole fire out a flare













