9/11 & The Tree That Survived

This is the story of 9/11 & the tree that survived.

The Early Days

In the early 1970s, construction of the World Trade Center Twin Towers was complete. The original outdoor pedestrian concourse surrounding the Twin Towers set out to achieve an ethereal vibe in a downtown environment, and of course, the design included trees.

At that time, in the northeast corner of the outdoor concourse, the tree we now refer to as the "Survivor Tree" was planted. There, it would grow season upon season for nearly three decades. 

Terror Strikes the Heart of NY

During the early hours of September 11th, 2001, in an act of terror, the New York City World Trade Center was demolished by al-Qaeda hijacked airplanes. Nearby on the WTC concourse, with its roots gripping the urban soil below, an ornamental pear tree was buried alive, burned, and badly damaged. It lay there for weeks beneath the rubble. 

The Aftermath

Almost one month later, in October, Becky Clough, Assistant Commissioner for the NYC Department of Design & Construction, was working another grueling day cleaning up debris from the destruction site. In a moment of gratification, she discovered a single tree branch with sprouted green leaves. It became clear that it was in rough shape. Yet, the charred and battered Callery Pear tree showed a glimmer of hope. 

With the help of Ronaldo Vega, who worked alongside Becky during cleanup and witnessed this incredible discovery, the Arthur Ross Citywide Nursery and The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, the team relocated the fragile tree.

Carefully, the Callery Pear was transported & replanted along the northeast side of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The team planted the tree along a fence. The idea was to help stabilize the tree as it was being brought back to health. From there, it went under the care of Richie Cabo & his mentor, Robert Zappala.

Ground Zero

The 9/11 Memorial Park & Plaza, designed by Michel Arad, is where the New York City community & the public can grieve, cope and come together in remembrance. Michael chose to have the grounds decorated with a symbol of green resilience by planting 400 Swamp White Oak trees hugging the Twin Tower Memorial Pools. The Swamp White Oak is an obvious choice for this memorial site, as they are native and tolerant of urban conditions.

When Ronaldo Vega was assigned the position of Senior Director of Design for the 9/11 Memorial, he remembered the "tree that survived," and had an epiphany! He decided to visit the tree in the Bronx. There it was, growing, full of life. His heart filled with love for the tree as he noticed the scars of that horrible event— a clear delineation of the before and the after was visible. Soon after, his mission was to give the tree a proper homecoming.

The tree was almost lost again in a bad Nor'easter storm, where it was uprooted and rehabbed once again by Bartlett Tree Experts. Finally, the Survivor Tree was moved back home to the Memorial Plaza in 2010.

As Ronaldo says,

"This tree is a fighter. It’s a New Yorker."

Now, millions of visitors pilgrimage to the 9/11 Memorial Plaza & Museum. The vastness of the Memorial Pools symbolizes the lives lost and the pain the nation felt when the two towering buildings collapsed that sad September morning.

On the grounds nearby, visitors can meet the tree that survived. One can’t help but imagine what the tree witnessed that day when bright blue skies were suddenly enveloped in clouds of toxic dust. The Survivor Tree is a solemn reminder of what once was and of hope & resilience. 

Growing Hope

In 2013, Bartlett Tree Experts, the John Brown HS, and the local community came together to launch the Survivor Seedling Program. 

Each year, the program sends seedlings from the Survivor Tree to communities that have endured recent tragedies.

Learn more about the Survivor Seedling Program here.

For other resources and learning materials about the Survivor Tree, view these resources used to help write this blog post. 

Resources →

9/11 Memorial & Museum 

NYC Parks | The Daily Plant 

The New York Times Archives | A 9/11 Survivor Blossoms in the Bronx 

Tree Hugger | Meet the Beautiful, Remarkable Tree that Survived 9/11 

NY Daily News | Scorched ‘Survivor Tree’ Rescued from Ground Zero After Attacks to Get New Home at 9/11 Museum

Barry Bradford | 9/11 Survivor Tree Silent Witness to History 

Science Direct | Green Resilience  

Wikimedia Public Domain | WTC Sphere at Plaza Fountain 

Wikimedia Public Domain | WTC View from Plaza

Wikipedia | World Trade Center (1973 - 2001)