Fred the Tree
Fred the Tree is a wild growing celebrity Australian pine tree, sometimes referred to as a salt-sprayed Casuarina. It is located on the defunct Seven Mile Bridge, the part of Overseas Highway that connects the Florida Keys with mainland Florida.[1] The tree is located on the old part of the highway, originally constructed as a railroad line, which can be seen from the new Overseas Highway.[2][3]
The portion of the Seven Mile Bridge where Fred the Tree is located, is not accessible through any means except boat or helicopter. It can be viewed from the Overseas Highway between Mile Marker 41 and 42. The trusses of the bridges were originally built with sand so the Australian pine tree which is capable of surviving in salty conditions with extreme heat, likely sprouted out of bird dropping, with its roots growing deep into the sand inside the concrete structure.[2][4][self-published source?]
Fred the Tree is often referred to as a sign of hope and the resilience of the people in the Florida Keys due to its ability to thrive in such harsh conditions on a concrete bridge, while surviving a number of hurricanes and extreme weather events.[2]
Fred the Tree has made appearances in books and media, it was featured most recently in the 2024 remake Road House with Jake Gyllenhaal and Conner McGregor.[5][2] Fred the Tree has also been memorialized as a children's book by author Leigh Guest.[4][6]
For over a decade a group of volunteers named Fred's Elves decorates the tree each year with lights and holiday decorations including a solar powered menorah. Even the smaller tree that has sprouted next to Fred is decorated.[2][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bridges, C. A. "Pine no more for amazing Florida road trip: Top 8 destinations for tree lovers this summer". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ a b c d e Gusmao, Kika (2023-11-27). "The Story of Fred, the Florida Celebri-Tree". Global Tree Initiative. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Sharpe, Lynn (2024-03-28). "Road House: The True Story Of Florida's "Fred The Tree" & Its Deeper Meaning For Dalton Explained". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ a b Myers, Laura (2024-03-06). "Fred the Tree: The Florida Keys' 'Celebri-Tree'". Keys Voices | The Florida Keys & Key West Blog. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Filosa, Gwen (2024-04-05). "FRED THE TREE GOES HOLLYWOOD IN NEW 'ROAD HOUSE' MOVIE". Florida Keys Weekly Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ "Already a star in the Keys, Fred the Tree is now going to Hollywood". WLRN. 2022-11-29. Retrieved 2024-11-20.
- ^ Media, J. S. R. (2022-11-29). "Have You Met Fred the Tree? Introducing the Keys' Quirkiest Resident". Flamingo Magazine. Retrieved 2024-11-20.