Press Releases

Survivor Tree seedlings now available to nation as source of hope, resilience

The Survivor Tree sits on the highest point of the Oklahoma City National Memorial site. More than 90 years old, this American elm grew in a gravel parking lot across the street from the Murrah Building. The force of the explosion from the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Building shredded the leaves, stripped the tree of its branches and embedded pieces of debris in the bark. Many feared the tree was mortally wounded. However, the tree refused to be bowed. One year after the bombing, buds began forming on the remaining branches, and the tree showed signs of continued life.

Mark Bays, Urban Forestry Coordinator with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, worked tirelessly to save the tree. Bays oversees care of the tree.

The Memorial was built around this tree. It is a symbol of Oklahoma’s spirit and resilience.

Each year, seeds are collected by the Facilities and Grounds crew at the Memorial. The elm’s family tree has branched out in the form of thousands of Survivor Trees all over the United States, including the White House Rose Garden. Now, those who would like to plant their own Survivor Tree can purchase seedlings from American Forests’ Famous & Historic Trees collection online at www.historictrees.org for $39.95 per tree plus shipping.

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