IPOH: The Ipoh tree at the Railway Station Square here, once a picture postcard of the city and now reduced to a bare trunk, is likely in need of a new home.
Studies are being conducted by the Ipoh City Council to see whether the tree can be planted elsewhere where it can thrive, said mayor Zamakhshari Hanipah.
“Our landscaping department is conducting a study on the soil at the square where the tree is planted.
“If we need to put in more fertiliser or something else, we will do it,” he added.
“This is the fifth attempt at planting the Ipoh tree (at the square),” he said, adding that previous replacements have died.The poor state of the tree was highlighted several days ago on a Facebook page that provides updates about Perak.
According to the Facebook post, the tree, which stands in front of the historic train station, is now all dried up without any green leaves.
“It is as though it has lost its shine, which once symbolises the identity of Ipoh,” it said.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Zamakhshari acknowledged the significance of the tree from which Ipoh derived its name.
“Ipoh is not Ipoh without the tree,” he said of the rainforest tree.
However, he said the current location at the square may not be suitable for it.
“We are considering other sites (in the city),” he added.
Back in 2023, The Star reported that only two Ipoh trees remain in public spaces here – one at the Railway Station Square and the other in Taman Lapangan Terbang.
The original, century-old Ipoh tree fell during a storm in 2017 and several attempts have been made at replanting the tree since then.
On Tuesday, Perak local government committee chairman Sandrea Ng dispelled talk that the tree had died, noting that its base remained green.
She attributed its current state to possible factors such as an unsuitable drainage system, causing the roots to become waterlogged, which may not be conducive for healthy growth.
