# Big White Oak



## B-Edwards (May 10, 2009)

I was looking at a White Oak the other day that is about 20 feet away from my property line. I have rights to a spring that is coming out of the ground very close to this tree. I noticed this tree about fifteen years ago while driving by as there were two other very large trees in the group. One has since failed I think due to a lightning strike . My dad has a large White Oak beside his home that I have always loved. I was driving him around my property and pointed out this tree and told him I think that is the biggest White Oak I have seen in our area. I didn't have anything to measure with at the time so I went back and measured it and here is what I found- at chest height it measured 23 feet and 3 inches around the trunk which roughly says the tree is almost 8 feet in diameter. I am guessing the tree could be five hundred years old as it is huge. I know there was a thread on here about champion trees and I am curious where this thing fits in. I appreciate any help or comments you guys could give. I'll post some pictures when I can get good shots of the trunk as it is over grown at the moment and impossible to get shots that would give an idea of size. Thanks in advance.


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## tree md (May 10, 2009)

Looking forward to seeing some pics of that beauty.


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## TreEmergencyB (May 10, 2009)

u guys ever hear Indians use to hit stuff under oak trees? Everytime we cut down or clean up storm damage monster oaks i keep an eye out stump grindin, anyone ever found anything like that?


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## pdqdl (May 13, 2009)

New York doesn't seem to have a list of "Champion Trees".

Here is a link some other states: http://www.daily-tangents.com/TreeHunt/
Sadly, many of the links on this page don't work.

White oak is a bit vague. To match up your tree with a champion tree, you need to know exactly which white oak is being referenced.

Here is a really big southern live oak: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Oak


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## tomtrees58 (May 13, 2009)

the big one i removed was 440 years old the record one is in north bethesda maryland tom trees


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## B-Edwards (May 13, 2009)

tomtrees58 said:


> the big one i removed was 440 years old the record one is in north bethesda maryland tom trees



Wow 440 is OLD! I removed one that I kept a piece of the trunk and took a belt sander to it so I could count the rings, 252 I think it was and it was hollow so who knows how old, I still have the piece of wood. It was not nearly as big as this one. I could be off on my guess on this tree because it is beside a spring on the south side slope so the enviroment is great for good growing seasons. I know this isnt a national champion but it could very well be the largest White Oak in our county and one of the many largest Oak trees in the state.


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## tree md (May 13, 2009)

I miss seeing all the White Oaks that are common where I come from. They are not as common where I live now and it's kind of neat to see one around here. I maintain a massive white Oak for an attorney who lives in an older part of the city here. It is massive for these parts. Probably around 4-5' DBH and the canopy sprawls. It has one limb that comes down to about 6 feet and sprawls into the neighbors yard. The attorney claims that it is the oldest White Oak in the city. I disturb it as little as possible because it is so old and only remove dead wood from it and prune it to keep it from growing into the structure. Gorgeous tree! I'll try to get some pics next time I'm out there.


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## KD57 (May 13, 2009)

I did a removal on one that was aged at 352 years old. The land was formerly a slave plantation, and even had 2 hand dug wells on it. I would love to know the history of that tree. There were 3 of them in a row. The guy that owned the land was also a carpenter, and made my wife a stool from a piece of it.

I looked around a little w/ a metal detector, and found the back part of one of those old silver pocket watches, one square iron nail, and 3 round muzzelloader balls. I was hoping to find rifle parts, but no luck.


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## tree md (May 13, 2009)

KD57 said:


> I did a removal on one that was aged at 352 years old. The land was formerly a slave plantation, and even had 2 hand dug wells on it. I would love to know the history of that tree. There were 3 of them in a row. The guy that owned the land was also a carpenter, and made my wife a stool from a piece of it.
> 
> I looked around a little w/ a metal detector, and found the back part of one of those old silver pocket watches, one square iron nail, and 3 round muzzelloader balls. I was hoping to find rifle parts, but no luck.



When I worked in Atlanta it was not uncommon to find ball shot in old Oak removals. Presumably from the Civil War. Pretty cool to find but not easy on a chain.


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## B-Edwards (Jan 16, 2010)

I thought I had posted the bad news . I was looking for a picture of the tree that i thought I had posted for you guys but sadly this is the picture i have to post now. I wanted to vomit when i saw it laying there!


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## canopyboy (Jan 16, 2010)

B-Edwards said:


> I thought I had posted the bad news . I was looking for a picture of the tree that i thought I had posted for you guys but sadly this is the picture i have to post now. I wanted to vomit when i saw it laying there!



Wow, it's a good thing you had person in that picture or I wouldn't have thought it was as big as you measured. 

That's really too bad, 'course now I guess you can cut her open and count the rings guilt free.....


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## Chris Francis (Sep 17, 2010)

*Alabama State Champion Live Oak*

We didn't remove it, but we were hired to inspect it, treat it, prune it, air excavate it, and protect it. It is the largest tree in the entire state of Alabama and probably anywhere nearby. Age estimates are anywhere between 400 and 1,000.

The DBH was over 10 feet. The circumference was over 30 feet. Pictures are available at my website: www.chrisfrancislandscapes.com or

http://www.treedeath.com/LandscapeInspections.html


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## treeseer (Sep 22, 2010)

NC has a list--nominate the next one. http://www.dfr.state.nc.us/Urban/nc_champion_big_trees_overview.htm

AL licenses tree surgeons? Beauteous tree there, but where did all the low branches go, and what's that orange fence doing inside the dripline?


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## Chris Francis (Sep 22, 2010)

*AL State Champ*

We are preparing to TOP it. I think that will be a good look! What do you mean? You don't like the lion's tail look? Just kidding!

The site use to be a petting zoo, a landfill, a rock yard, and all sorts of things. The latest use is an apartment complex. The general contractor put the orange fencing at the drip line, thinking that would be good enough. A backhoe operator for the site contractor ripped a few limbs off it, and the owner flipped. That is when I was called in. The first thing I had them do was install additional fencing further out and restrict ALL workers from entering the site. About half of the perimeter was a large hill that was already disturbed, so it was pointless to do much else there. We only removed dead limbs, broken branches, and minor restoration pruning. We air excavated all around it, then air excavated for the posts of a permanent fence; strange though because we never hit roots. An old arborist told me that there were trenches and moats all around it for the petting zoo, so many of those roots were either cut or buried. Cryin' shame. 







You really have to see it up close to apprecaite the size.


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## treeseer (Sep 23, 2010)

Outer crown looks pretty good--and will look better next year thanks to your root work. Keep up the good work!

AL licenses tree surgeons?


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## Chris Francis (Sep 23, 2010)

*Tree Surgeons*



treeseer said:


> Outer crown looks pretty good--and will look better next year thanks to your root work. Keep up the good work!
> 
> AL licenses tree surgeons?



Tree surgeons? Yes, I know it is rather antiquated. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries regulates the industry. The license is required for the following:
- Cable & Bracing
- Cavity Filling
- Cavity Repair
- and Wound Treatment

Of course the idea of cavity filling is a thing of the past, but that is the way the current law reads. I am involved with a group AUFA (Alabama Urban Forestry Association) that is actively trying to have the law changed. The new law would eventually change the term to Arborist License or something of that nature. The study material would likely be the Climber's Guide by Sharon Lilly, possibly even the Arborist Study Guide. The meat of it would be that anyone leaving the ground would have to have the license or work for someone that has the license. Leaving the ground to work on trees could be by:
- Climbing
- Bucket truck
- Ladder, etc...

If someone is just pruning with a pole saw or clippers, they would not need the license. If someone was felling trees from the ground, they would not need the license. Getting things through the government is a slow process though.


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## treeseer (Sep 24, 2010)

Chris Francis said:


> Tree surgeons? Yes, I know it is rather antiquated. The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries regulates the industry. .


Huh! If that don't beat all. In NC anyone can do anything to a tree. 

Good luck with the reg effort. I kinda like the term "surgeon", myself.


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## Adkpk (Sep 28, 2010)

Both very nice white oaks. Would love to take my csm to that one on the ground. White oak is the king. Nice job on protecting that one, Chris F. Here's one of my favorites. It's along the NYS Thruway between Newburgh and Harriman, southbound.


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