The Garfield Park Conservatory has lost its only Double Coconut Palm.
The rare palm's sudden death is a mystery to the conservatory employees.
The horticultural staff noticed the Double Coconut began changing physically, and quickly took samples of the soil and tree to determine any sign of bacteria
Pictures of the palm were also sent to palm experts around the world to help analyze what has happened.
“We are shocked and saddened by this great loss. It’s been a very difficult eight months for us in dealing with the massive hail storm damage and now, the loss of our Double Coconut Palm,” Mary Eysenbach, Director of Conservatories, said in a statement. “We are still looking for answers as to what led to its demise. It’s very rare to find a Double Coconut thriving inside a greenhouse and we really have no precedence in helping us find the answers.”
A hail storm last year caused extensive damage to the greenhouse, which may be a reason to lead to the death of the Double Coconut.
The palm's seed was planted in 1967, and needed a six-foot silo, as well as a lead coil around the edge, to grow.
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The investigation will further continue until the determing factor of death will be found.
