Lady Liberty (tree)
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| Lady Liberty | |
|---|---|
 Lady Liberty in 2007. | |
  Lady Liberty | |
| Species | Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) |
| Coordinates | 28°43′11.2″N 81°19′52.65″W / 28.719778°N 81.3312917°W |
Lady Liberty is a bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) located in Big Tree Park in Longwood, Florida. The tree is over 2,000 years old and stands 40 feet (12 m) from the former site of The Senator, a 3,500-year-old Bald Cypress that burned down on January 16, 2012.[1] With the Senator's demise, Big Tree Park has taken greater notice of its last remaining giant and has taken steps to ensure its preservation.[2]
At the time of its last recorded measurement in 2015, the tree stood 82 feet tall with a trunk circumference of 394 inches and a crown spread of 34 feet.[3] Its dimensions do not grant it status as a Florida Champion tree of its species, but it is listed among numerous challengers.
Age
Name
For years, the large tree standing nearby The Senator was simply called "The Companion." However, in 2005, Geneva Elementary School held a contest to find a more suitable name for the tree. Two fifth graders submitted the name "Lady Liberty," winning the contest. One of the tree's branches stands at an angle which, if viewed correctly, "sort of looks like the uplifted arm of the Statue of Liberty".[6]