PROVO — No one but God could make this kind of tree.
The 78-year-old Ulmus Americana tabletop elm sprawling across the south lawn of the Utah County administration building is the only one of its kind in the world.
With a canopy that spans 97 feet when the tree itself is only 28 feet tall, the tree is a local wonder.
It has already outlived the average city tree seven times over.
It's believed the tree was planted in the 1920s. Descendants of Moroni W. Christopherson say it was donated by their ancestor in 1926. A nurseryman, Christopherson used to work for the county.
It is one of the first trees in Utah to be named a Utah Heritage Tree and has a monument of its own on the lawn explaining its history.
Currently, the tree is babied by Utah County Public Works employees and has custom-built supports for the branches. The tree is also protected from construction damage by a special provision.
Though efforts have been made to duplicate the tree, none of the seedlings have grown in the same unique tabletop shape.