The Senator
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Video: Big Tree Park Tour
March 9, 2020 by Willow Phlox Caden and I took a trip out to big tree park (Longwood, FL) to visit the site of the Senator – a 3,500-year-old bald cypress tree. We also visit Lady Liberty the sister tree to the Senator. Find out how an act of arson destroyed this one-of-a-kind tourist attraction and see what is being done to preserve what is left.
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The Senator II
Clone of the famous Senator cypress tree of Big Tree Park, located at Reiter Park. A farmer from North Florida, Marvin Bucanan of Central Florida Natural Lands, started an orchard with several Senator clones. He had no idea how important those clones would one day be, but when the father tree was destroyed it became a rescue mission. “We didn’t grow it for that purpose,” Bucanan said. “We grew it for the seeds to replant.” What started as a branch had grown to over 50 feet tall. One was transported by semi to Big Tree Park and the other to…