The White House has replaced the magnolia tree planted outside the residence with a new sapling that is a “descendant” of the original tree planted approximately 200 years ago.
President Donald Trump revealed at the end of March that the original tree was in “terrible condition” and would have to come down as it posed a dangerous safety hazard. He promised a new tree would be planted in its place. On Tuesday afternoon, the White House’s X account posted a video of Trump and a few others digging a new hole for the “MAGAnolia” tree.
President Donald J. Trump planted a new MAGAnolia sapling at the White House — a direct descendant of the historic "Jackson Magnolia."
pic.twitter.com/aSJn8Zo4pp
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2025
“We have a beautiful tree now in the White House,” Trump stated in a separate post, which included several other photos of the dig.
President Trump plants a new descendant sapling of the historic "Jackson Magnolia." The White House remains committed to the stewardship and preservation of its historic grounds.
"We have a beautiful tree now in the White House." – @POTUS
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 8, 2025
Folklore states that the original magnolia tree was one of two planted by President Andrew Jackson, the nation’s seventh president, using seeds from his home near Nashville, Tennessee. Jackson planted the trees in memory of his wife, Rachel, who had died just a few months before he entered the White House, according to the National Park Service.
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While the original tree has been replaced by the Trump administration, Trump said the White House staff would preserve its wood, hinting that it could be used for “other high and noble purposes.”
The planting of the new “MAGAnolia” comes as Trump works with the National Park Service and the White House’s Executive Residence staff to make “enhancements” to the White House. The president argued that these are being done in order to preserve history.
