Recently scored a bit of ash. I noticed that the growth rings are very small, so much so that I wanted to take a few minutes and take a count. This log is approximately 12 inches in diameter and my best count gave me 155 years! Dated it back to 1865. Crazy to think That this tree was alive when Abraham Lincoln was. I’m probably going to cut off a “cookie” off of it where I put the marker marks and hanging up in my garage right above my work bench.
That's awesome. I remember reading an article once about "witness trees". Essentially, trees that were present in Civil War photographs that are still alive today. It's amazing to think what these trees might have "seen".
Wow, that is s slow grower...I'd say on average the 12" diameter Ash that I have counted rings on were more like 40-50 yo
That's awesome... Likely struggled for it's share of sunlight for many years... I like your idea of hanging it up on the wall. Maybe slow dry it so it doesnt check so much and a coat of varnish?
Fanatical1 does slow growth have to do more with water or light? Both? curious as When we were sugaring maple trees the ones that grew in the ledges. Where I assume there must’ve been a shortage of water in the rock. Had sugar % much higher than others.
Nice....are you sure it is Ash? Sort of looks like oak in picture. Regardless...lot of history right there.
Honestly, I don't know... Understory trees can be slow growing for years getting tall but very little crown and waiting for their opportunity to get through the canopy to really take off... I suspect, poor soil or lack of water can slow their growth also. I have all kinds of hardwoods that have tight growth rings as well as some that have pretty large size growth rings and I always chock it up to how much they had to struggle for sunlight since my soil stays pretty consistently rich and wet.
