was out with the dogs at a hiking spot we haven’t been to in a while. This big white oak has to have been here for a good couple hundred years at least. I wanted to get a better measurement of it around but some poison ivy around the base made me not get the measurement. I’d estimate circumference at about 13 or 14 ft. Man, if this thing could talk, all the time it’s been there. Any guestimates in age of something like this?
WOW, thats a big un Ctwoodtick! What is the diameter? Its older than me! I never did count the growth rings on my white oak post from last month.
I will get a true measurement next time. Probably 5 ft diameter. Can’t imagine it’s any younger that 200-250 yrs old.
Wow! Heck of a tree. Owns its neighborhood, too. Tallest saplings I see nearby are what - knee high at best? Hard to compete with a behemoth like that!
I’m far from a tree master. Only a few white oaks on my property. About 18-24” diameters. Property was clear in the 20’s and 30’s so we may guesstimate from that. I’d say it’s darn old.
Awesome "wolf tree." It is likely a leftover from a deserted farm. Here's a cool article about these majestic trees. Wolf Trees: Elders of the Eastern Forest - American Forests
We have a huge white oak like that on our property that was a landmark on the "farm" ever since my wife's parents bought the property in '62. Unfortunately it died about 12 years ago or so. I just got a trail opened up back to that area of the woods and will probably cut a low limb off and see if I can get some good heartwood quartersawn out of it to make some souvenirs for all my wife's nieces and nephews so they all have something to remember from Grandpa and Grandma's farm. The trunk is 6' diameter and there are limbs starting at 5' high and several of the limbs are 24" and reach out 40 or 50 feet. We were all saddened the first summer we realized it had not leafed out. My wife talks fondly of many walks back to the "big oak tree on the hill" with various members of the family, everyone knew where it was. We have no idea how old it is, but I would love to count the rings, but I have no saw near big enough to cut it, nor the knowledge or kahunas to attempt dropping a tree that big. I'm even half scared to harvest a limb off of it, but I'll figure it out, safety first! After reading the article Mike posted about the wolf trees, I sure wish I would have been around and known how to save it back then. There are many Maples growing up through it probably in the 20 to 30 year old range. I will leave it stand if there is evidence of wildlife activity even as it slowly rots.
Ctwoodtick, nice to see some love for these old trees. I’ve got a couple of Sugar Maples that are older than any of the other trees, and this was all pasture years ago. mike bayerl, nice article - I grew up knowing about wolf trees, but hadn’t really thought about other trees growing up within their drip line and eventually overcoming them. My two are definitely in decline, but old Sugar Maples in general are having trouble these days. I’m thinking I should do a little thinning to help nurse them along.
Based on some similar sized big ole Oaks I've counted rings on in the past, I'd say you are right on...2-250 YO...it can be hard to tell for sure on those old trees, can be so hard to count the growth rings during the lean years
