Penn State is ready to plant the fourth generation of Old Willow, continuing a legacy that dates back 165 years.
After growing in a campus nursery for the last three years, the latest descendant of the historically significant tree will be planted at 4 p.m. on April 19 at Old Main Lawn, according to a news release
The tree was grown from cuttings carefully taken by university horticulture technicians from the third-generation Old Willow when it was felled by strong winds in March 2021.
Old Willow’s tradition at Penn State is traced back to 1859, when William G. Waring planted the original tree near Old Main. Its origin is unproven, but legend tells that it was grown from an off-shoot of a willow obtained by Penn State’s first president, Evan Pugh, from the famous garden of English poet Alexander Pope.
The first Old Willow fell during a storm in August 1923, but a cutting had already been planted nearby nine years earlier to ensure its legacy would continue. The second-generation Old Willow stood on Old Main Lawn until the late 1970s.
For generations, freshmen bowed and tipped their caps to the tree.
Old Willow is one of Penn State’s “heritage trees,” which are designated as such for their historical, cultural or ecological significance
“The history of Old Willow is inextricable to the history of Penn State,” Bill Sitzabee, Penn State’s vice president of facilities management and planning and chief facilities officer, said in a statement. “Our Grounds Services team has been instrumental in continuing this 165-year tradition and we look forward to seeing the fourth generation of Old Willow grow into a mature tree in the many decades to come.”
Penn State’s Office of Physical Plant has actually grown more than 30 offspring of the third-generation Old Willow since it fell in 2021. Some have been made available for planting at Commonwealth Campuses and other university locations.
The Old Main Lawn planting for the newest Old Willow is co-sponsored by the Office of the Physical Plant and the EcoAction student group and will be held rain or shine.
