City officials gathered today at the Truman Waterfront Park to thank former Monroe County Mayor Shirley Freeman, Harvey Server, and Grimal Grove Curator Patrick Garvey for the donation of a breadfruit tree. The tree is the second fruit-bearing tree planted in the Merili McCoy Fruit Tree Garden, named for a former city commissioner and founder of the Tree Commission.

Now just five feet tall, this mature tree can reach up to 85 feet in height and produce 450 pounds of fruit each season. This fruit has been a staple in the Pacific islands, but the Florida Keys are the only area in the United State where this tree can thrive.

The breadfruit tree was one of the tropical trees from around the globe brought to the Florida Keys by Adolf Grimal for his forest on Big Pine Key.

Historically, there were several of these lush trees in Key West, but storms and development have taken their toll. Mayor Freeman said she wants to be sure this historically significant tree was a part of the magnificent new park.

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