The Truffula tree at the center ofThe Loraxmay have been a production of Dr. Seuss ’s imagination , but it ’s believe they were inspired by a real - life history tree in La Jolla , California . about 50 years after the environmental apologue was bring out , Smithsonianreports that the iconic Monterey cypress has fallen .
The tree diagram had originate for 80 to 100 yr in what is today Ellen Browning Scripps Park in Southern California . It was clear seeable from the observation tower where Theodor Geisel , a.k.a . Dr. Seuss , lived in La Jolla following World War II .
While the children ’s book source and illustrator never stated that the tree inspired his work , locals take up refer to it as " The Lorax Tree . " The resemblance it deliver to Seuss ’s Truffula is undeniable : Both have tightfitting trunks with whimsical curve ball and thick , flossy canopies of leafage concentrated at the top .
InThe Lorax , the Truffula trees are endanger by the Once - ler , who want to chop up them down and call on them into garments called Thneeds . The form of address character " talk for the trees " and convey the book’senvironmentalistmessage .
Unlike the Truffula , La Jolla ’s Monterey cypress come out to be in no peril until it recently toppled over . Arborists are n’t certain what caused the flop , as they had n’t noticed any prior wellness issues with the tree except for some termites . The preceding yr ’s uncharacteristically wet winter and the effect it had on the surrounding stain may have playact a character , so experts are look into that possibility .
Most of the tree has beenremovedfrom the area , and the metropolis plan toplant another treein its berth . There are also program to salve and repurpose the trunk from the fallen tree diagram , though they have n’t been made official .
[ h / tSmithsonian ]
