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I firmly believe in fate, as some stories seem to find me rather than the other way around. A perfect example of this is an incredibly rusty GMC Sierra that currently has a real plant growing from its rocker panel. This unusual phenomenon has caught the attention of the truck’s owner, Al Arcidiacono, who first noticed the greenery back in August, and it’s still thriving today. And yes, he still drives it.
This truck from the early 2000s is remarkable for its extensive rust. Residing in Florida, it bears a tailgate sticker from a Massachusetts dealership that isn’t original. The patches, particularly those above each rear wheel, are quite impressive, and it seems that the GMC is significantly lighter now than when it first came off the assembly line.
Al and his truck have gained notoriety among Facebook’s pickup owner community, a recognition he likely never anticipated after high school. He shared a post in the GMT800s With Threatening Auras group when he first noticed the plant growing beneath the driver’s door. Since then, his truck has developed an unusual yet enthusiastic following on social media.
Nearly six months later, Al continues to share updates about his truck, mainly in a newly created group that has grown to 136 members at the time of this article: Al Arcidiacono’s GMT800 Rocker Tree. The plant in question is an umbrella plant, a detail confirmed by Al’s former high school agriculture teacher.
“Let me take some new pictures because I’m sure it has grown since I last checked,” Al mentioned when I initially reached out to him on Facebook. “I only drive the truck every few weeks, which has probably helped the plant survive this long. At this point in its life, it’s just used for errands to Home Depot.”
While we don’t have any exact measurements for the plant’s growth—no one seems to be keeping track that closely—Al does take care of it in his own way. He doesn’t water it but protects it whenever he drives the truck by using a cardboard enclosure from a Fancy Feast box, secured with duct tape to the door. Al admitted he didn’t always take such precautions.
“I learned the hard way after my first drive with the plant,” he recounted. “It nearly died.”
Recently, the umbrella plant received a festive decoration for Christmas, which Al said complemented the truck’s predominantly red body and green tailgate. While he didn’t mention whether he decorated the short bed with garland for the weeds that have reappeared, one can hope he did.
I’m familiar with plants growing around vehicles—I own two broken-down 1960s dump trucks myself—but this situation stands out. If I can emulate what Al has done one day, I definitely will. For now, I’ll be keenly watching for updates on his rocker tree, as it was the inspiration that sparked my interest in this phenomenon.
Have your own rocker tree story? Contact the author right away at: caleb@thedrive.com
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