The "A Cherry Tree Named 'Stumpy'" Story

"Stumpy"

The cherry tree nicknamed "Stumpy" stands in high tide water at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC.  The National Park Service announced that it will begin to cut down over 140 Cherry Blossom trees around the Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park in anticipation of construction for an upgraded sea wall to guard against flooding.  My story today tells the story of "Stumpy," which may someday be a part of history.

"Stumpy"....Thank You For The Memories

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a special Cherry tree nicknamed "Stumpy" that stands in high tide water at the Tidal Basin in Wahington D.C.  The National Park Service announced that it will begin to cut down over 140 Cherry Blossom trees around the Tidal Basin and West Potomac Park in anticipation of construction for an upgraded sea wall to guard against flooding.   But, to do so, Washington D.C.'s most famous cherry blossom tree, "Stumpy," is set to be cut down as rising floodwaters imperil the iconic tidal basin.  The short, grizzled survivor is among the roughly 158 cherry blossom trees that D.C. will eliminate to raise the seawall and walking paths above it by at least two feet.  The National Arboretum is taking clippings of Stumpy so its genetic legacy can live on.  The chief of communications for the National Park Service, Mike Litterist, says that the damage that Stumpy has sustained in the past from inundation on the Tidal Basin is what has given him this atrophied appearance. In an incredibly harrowing and deeply poetic way, it seems that the very damage that made Stumpy famous is also what is causing his demise.  Since the announcement about the trees' removal on March 13, people in the D.C. area have rushed to memorialize the tree before it is too late.  Stumpy's powerful imagery resonated deeply with many of the subreddit's users.  Instead of making people laugh, the tree prompted a sense of earnestness from the online community.  Seeking to uplift both Stumpy and Winfrey, users wrote comments like, "May you bloom like this tree ini the next few months" and "No matter how much they cut you down, let your light shine." Since then, Stumpy has amassed a cult following online.  Posters regularly submitted updates on his progress to the D.C. subreddit.  Each spring, images of Stumpy's full gloom during peak cherry blossom season flood social media sites including Twitter (now X) and TikTok.  Since autumn of 2023, the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 mile and 5K has worked on making 2024 its "Year of Stumpy."  The CUCB planning committee has gone all out with this rollout.  The group has unveiled an entire celebration of Stumpy's life, complete with 25,000 T-shirts for runners and volunteers, 15,000 medals for participants who. complete the runs, and an official 6-foot mascot.  Jessica Pascual is th local graphic designer who came up with the concept to use Stumpy as the focal point for this year's races.  She says Stumpy's story inspired her to create the design for the T-shirt contest.  "We were going around and looking at the cherry blossoms, and Stumpy was still alive," Pascual says.  "And I'm like, wow, this little tree by the Tidal Basin is still alive.  It's still flourishing.  It's resilient, essentially, and then I got the idea.  That resonates with a lot of runners because you want to be resilient when you run."  For Pascual, that kind of powerful persistence is at the heart of Stumpy's resonance.  "It's like an underdog story...you don't have to be the prettiest tree out there.  You don't have to be the fastest runner in this Credit Union Cherry Blossom race.  It's you drive to stay alive or survive and work through all of whatever is around you...so I guess that's why Stumpy has resonated with people."  Stewart agrees that this aspect of Stumpy's story is what has made him into such an important symbol.  "Stumpy represents the underdog in a wy:  fighting back from challenges and triumphing over adversity ... I've called him the little cherry tree that could," Steward says.  "He's a smaller.  He's just got those few little blossoms coming out at the top, but darn it, he's trying just as hard as those big, giant cherry trees that are all around him with a full head of bloom and so forth." While Stumpy will no longer grow in the Tidal Basin, he will live on in the hearts of the thousands across the D.C. area and the country.  The National Park Service has cuttings from Stumpy that may be cloned and planted once the rehabilitation work is completed.  And the CUCB has decided to adopt Stumpy's story for their races permanently.  "Stumpy will become our permanent logo.  He will continue to live on and appear this year and will appear next year and indefinitely.," Stewart says.  "So we like to think that we're providing a bridge for Stumpy to live on into the future."  The impact of this little cherry blossom tree will be felt for yers to come.  Stumpy's story of hope and trying has made him into a cultural icon.  Long life Stumpy the cherry blossom tree!  So Be It!  Amen!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A last glance at "Stumpy"