The White House’s south façade will lose a piece of history this week when an iconic tree is cut down, according to CNN.
CNN on Tuesday reported that the famed Jackson Magnolia is scheduled for removal this week after a long and storied life following its planting in the 1800s.
The enormous tree is one of three Jackson magnolias on the White House’s west side and is the oldest on the building’s entire grounds.
The White House previously brought in specialists at the United States National Arboretum to access the tree’s status.
“The overall architecture and structure of the tree is greatly compromised and the tree is completely dependent on the artificial support,” the specialists’ analysis says in part.
“Without the extensive cabling system, the tree would have fallen years ago,” the documents add.
“If this was any ordinary tree, it would have been removed long ago. We understand this is a historic tree, and all measures have been used to save it to this point in time.”
A White House official on Tuesday told CNN that the decision to remove the tree was ultimately made by first lady Melania Trump.
Trump assessed and viewed all of the professional information and accompanying historical documents before tree was scheduled to get taken down.
Historians say former President Andrew Jackson believed a particularly brutal election campaign in 1828 contributed to his wife’s death mere days after his election.
Jackson is thought to have insisted upon planting a sprout from her favorite magnolia tree from their farm in Hermitage, Tennessee upon entering the White House.
The tree has since appeared in scores of historic events, including state arrival ceremonies, White House Easter egg rolls and Marine One arrivals and departures.
The plant was also prominently featured on the back of the $20 bill from 1928 to 1998, a denomination which features Jackson on the front.
