What Happened to the Old Oak Tree At Ralphs?

Two baby oak trees have taken the place of the elegant old oak that once stood in the parking lot of the Ralphs at 211 E. Foothill Blvd. The reason?

Store manager Chuck Hamman said the beloved oak, which had become a kind of Arcadia landmark, had a fatal case of root rot.

"People said the tree died because no one watered it, but that's not true," Hamman said. 

Workers had to remove the tree in November because it had become a hazard to shoppers—and their cars.

Hamman said the new trees, planted earlier this month, are a different species of oak from their predecessor. Maybe so, but they're sure grow up just as beautiful.