It looks like Gainesville’s most famous holly tree will persevere.

The large tree, located at the fork of Academy and Green streets, often is decorated with bows or lights to celebrate holidays throughout the year.

Gainesville City Manager Kip Padgett said the city hired an arborist to appraise a section of the tree that suffered fire damage last month.

Officials were concerned that the damage could kill the large, old tree.

"We had an arborist go out and they indicated that what we needed to go ahead and remove the dead foliage off the tree and then later in the year after the growing season stops to go in and really do some reconstruction pruning of it so the new growth could come out," Padgett said. "According to the arborist the trunk looks strong and healthy."

Gainesville Fire Chief Jon Canada said the tree caught fire around midnight June 20. The cause of the fire is unknown, but fire officials do not believe it was set intentionally.

There are some electrical components around the tree, though Canada said officials have determined those did not start the fire.