President Donald Trump has named a replacement for a magnolia tree that is said to have been planted by President Andrew Jackson at the White House nearly 200 years ago. Last month the White House announced that the historic “Jackson Magnolia” tree outside the Oval Office was in a “terrible condition” and would be felled over safety concerns. The decision followed a consultation with Executive Residence Staff and the National Park Service, after which Trump labeled the tree “a very dangerous safety hazard, at the White House Entrance, no less,” and said it “must now be removed.” A new sapling, which is a direct descendant of the original tree, will be planted in its place on Tuesday. The seed from the original southern magnolia, Trump said, came from Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, in Tennessee. According to the National Park Service, “the seeds were planted to honor the memory of Jackson’s late wife, Rachel, who had died suddenly just months prior to him assuming office.” A White House spokesperson said: “Remnants of the old tree will be preserved by the Office of the Curator and honored by the White House, and this new tree will continue the heritage of the ‘Jackson Magnolia’ for generations to come.”
