White House says historic magnolia tree has been cut back
A large portion of a magnolia tree on the south grounds of the White House has been removed because it posed a safety risk.
Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for first lady Melania Trump, says the nearly 200-year-old tree was trimmed Wednesday morning while President Donald Trump and his family are in Florida for the holidays. CBS News confirmed on Tuesday that a substantial portion of the Jackson Magnolia would be removed, including one tree limb which was to be conducted by the National Park Service.
Workers were seen trimming and pruning the tree on the South Lawn Wednesday as workers sawed a limb using a cherry picker. Much of the historic tree still remains on the rounds.
Grisham said earlier in the week that the first lady had approved of the tree-trimming plan after she reviewed reports about the magnolia from government experts and explored options with White House staff.
National Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen explained to CBS News that the tree was suffering from a rot wound or hollowing of the tree's insides, leading to the decay it suffers from today.
The Arboretum recommended removing one of the two rotted trunks and seeing if the other rotted trunk will stand. Ultimately, Olsen said, the other rotted trunk will have to be taken down, too.
Hollow trees are not atypical and can live long lives, Olsen said. When this happens in the forest, the tree may shed limbs or split apart. That's not a risk anyone at the White House was willing to take.
But it's incorrect to say the historic Jackson Magnolia is "dead." The outer layer of the tree is alive, Olsen said, but it's internal structure had become compromised. The tree's canopy was thinning and arborists didn't see much new growth, showing signs it was struggling to put on new leaves.
Grisham says Mrs. Trump was concerned about the safety of visitors and journalists who often stand in front of the tree during certain events.
President Andrew Jackson added the magnolia to the south grounds in 1835.
CBS News' Arden Farhi contributed to this report.