Representative Loricia cites national champion red cedar as committee plans Capitol planting

Representative Loricia highlighted a local specimen of eastern red cedar as the committee debated the Capitol planting plan, saying Long Hill United Methodist Church in Coffee County "has the oldest Georgia red cedar" and later providing measurements: "It's 57 feet tall and has a circumference at the base of 234 inches." She said the species can get very large over time and urged building-and-grounds staff to choose the planting site carefully to avoid later conflicts.

Loricia framed the remarks as both a point of local pride and a practical caution: because eastern red cedars can grow wide and live a long time, the committee should consider long-term growth when selecting a site on the Capitol grounds. No formal change to the planting plan was recorded; the chair announced the bill passed and staff were left with the task of identifying an appropriate, precise location.