IPOH: The site at Railway Station Square where the Ipoh tree stands may no longer be suitable for the species, says Mayor Zamakhshari Hanipah (pic).
He said the Ipoh City Council is currently studying the location to determine how the tree can be sustained, noting that this marks the fifth attempt to plant an Ipoh tree at the site.
“The Ipoh tree is a rainforest species, so it may not be suitable to be planted there,” he said, adding that all previous replacement trees had failed to survive.
“Our landscaping department is conducting a study on this. If we need to add more fertiliser or take other measures, we will do so,” he said during a media meet-up at the city council building here on Thursday (Jan 15).
The condition of the tree recently became a subject of discussion on social media, with some users speculating that it had died after images showed it looking dry and leafless.
However, Perak local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng had denied that the tree was dead, saying it was still green and therefore alive. She added that the problem was believed to be linked to an unsuitable drainage system, where runoff water from the surrounding paved area flows towards the tree, causing waterlogging at the roots.
In April 2017, the original Ipoh tree — which was more than 100 years old — fell during a storm. A replacement tree was planted in February 2018.
The Ipoh tree, scientifically known as Antiaris toxicaria, is the namesake of the city.
Zamakhshari said the city council is also looking into other, more suitable locations for planting the tree.
“We are considering other locations in the city. Ipoh is not Ipoh without the tree,” he said.
Separately, Zamakhshari said the city council is finalising an agreement with a private company involved in the construction of a multi-storey parking and commercial complex in the Old Town area.
He said the project had been delayed due to land-related and technical issues, but the land matter has recently been resolved.
“The next steps involve obtaining planning permission and signing the agreement. Once everything is finalised, construction is expected to take between 15 and 18 months,” he added.
