Legendary Toronto tree lives on

TORONTO, July 21 (UPI) -- Although a storm has knocked over Toronto's landmark silver maple, the tree's offspring lives on, its planters said.

Friday night's storm knocked over the tree that is said to have inspired Alexander Muir's "The Maple Leaf Forever."

But its offspring is still growing in the small park in east Toronto.

The planter of that tree, Bill Wrigley, was in a archeology masters program after he retired at at the age of 65. His fellow students told him they hadn't heard Muir's song, so Wrigley took them to see the tree, the Toronto Star said.

Wrigley came home from the trip and told his wife that the tree, which is more than 150 years old, was looking sad.

She asked him to bring him maple seeds, and the pair planted more than a dozen in 2000.

A few sprouted, but only one survived, the Star said.

By 2007, the tree was outgrowing the nursery in the backyard, and the city allowed the tree to be replanted in the park, near the original.

"The wonderful thing is, this famous tree that had such a history and a story behind it, it's offspring is alive and well, and will be there hopefully for another 150 years," Wrigley said.