Could a tree be a replacement for Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day?

That's the hope of People for the Ethical Treatment for Animals. 

PETA has suggested that a persimmon tree may be more accurate than a groundhog. 

The group sent a letter to the president of The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club offering the persimmon tree to plant in Gobbler’s Knob so that Phil (and his companion, Phyllis) can retire to a reputable sanctuary.

PETA’s letter notes that persimmon seeds are said to predict the weather correctly about a quarter of the time—one study even claimed 85% accuracy.

The letter said that it also would donate a state-of-the-art animatronic groundhog with artificial intelligence that could actually predict the weather.