The famous Monterey cypress tree said to have inspired the Truffulas trees in Dr. Seuss' beloved 1971 children's book "The Lorax" toppled over in a California park last week for unknown reasons.
The lone tree stood in Ellen Browning Scripps Park in the seaside community of La Jolla, where author Theodor Seuss Geisel lived from 1948 until his death in 1991. The city's website says Seuss could see the tree from his home and based his famous trees in "The Lorax" on it.
Park officials don't know why the tree, which was thought to be 80 to 100 years old, fell because it was healthy and there was no bad weather at the time of the fall, according to The Los Angeles Times.
“We did have a very wet winter, so we’re looking at the soil to see if that may have been a factor,” San Diego Parks and Recreation Department spokesman Tim Graham said.
Graham also said the city hopes to repurpose the tree and removed most of it from the park Friday, the Times reported.
He also said officials hope to plant another Monterey cypress in its place, but it’s not known when that might happen.
“The Lorax,” the lead character in the book, chronicles the plight of the environment and the impact of corporate greed.
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