The Octopus Tree, first planted among 20 other trees, was accidentally created when a groundskeeper continually mowed over it, causing it to grow into the odd shape that inspired its name. In the 1980s, the tree was removed after it was labeled a “hazard.” Its legend remains that “anyone who has not been kissed under it is still a freshman at the University, regardless of the number of credit hours the student has obtained.”
A new tree was planted in 2010 south of the Williams Conservatory, and a ceremony marked the revival of the Octopus Tree tradition.