Historic/old trees

[travelguy_73]

Our new (old) house has this very very large red oak tree in the backyard. It towers over the two-story home and we would like to know its age. We have heard there is a society/group in Houston that will do this and even designate it as historic. Does anyone know their name or have a contact person?

Thanks

[editor]

Is there a society that can tell me how old my oak tree is?

You can figure this out yourself. All you need is a chainsaw to count the rings!

[tmariar]

An internet search will come up with all kinds of different formulas for estimating the tree's age. For example: "To figure the approximate age of a [live oak] tree, measure its girth four feet from the ground, convert that measurement to inches and divide by 1.5. An oak will add an average of 1.5 inches to its girth each year, although the older ones grow at a considerably lesser rate."

For information on the county tree registry, check the references mentioned in this topic regarding the Harris County Tree Registry.

I have a hard copy of the tree registry (4th ed. 2005). It's a nice little book, with locator maps, though most or all of the same info - and newer info - may be on the internet version of the registry. The book lists the trees using these measurements:

(1) Circumference - measured in inches around the trunk at a level 4.5 feet off the ground.

(2) Height - measured in feet from ground to top of tree

(3) Spread - measured in feet from one edge of the canopy to the other

They also use a number called a "tree index", which is the number that results from adding the three measurement numbers together (#ins + #ft + #ft).

The "champions" around the county are listed by species. There are 11 different kinds of oak listed. Here are the different species of oak and the indices of the trees listed in the registry:

Bur oak: 163-195

Cherrybark oak: 201-307

Compton oak: 201-302

Live oak: 186-331

Overcup oak: 177-201

Post oak: 183-232

Southern red oak: 201-248

Swamp chestnut oak: 163

Water oak: 219-310

White oak: 182-238

Willow oak: 205-258

I'm assuming that, if your tree falls within the listed range for its species, the Park People would add it to the registry. There is a nomination form on the website.

Edited October 29, 2007 by tmariar

[MidtownCoog]

I had this bright idea to write a book about historic tress in Houston. Not just about the trees, but also about the neighborhood then and now.

Is there a market for such a book?

[brucesw]

Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants, lists 2 red oaks native to Texas - Shumard Red Oak - grows all over the state, grows to 50 feet, and Texas Red Oak - more common further west but will grow here, grows to 15-30 feet.

A Garden Book for Houston (River Oaks Garden Club) lists 5 that are common here: Red (40x25), Shumard (60x40), Southern Red (75x50), Red (70x45) and Texas Red (45x35).

The former book has pictures, the latter does not.

This being Houston, wouldn't it be likely it was planted by the developer or homeowner rather than saved during construction?

[travelguy_73]

Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants, lists 2 red oaks native to Texas - Shumard Red Oak - grows all over the state, grows to 50 feet, and Texas Red Oak - more common further west but will grow here, grows to 15-30 feet.

A Garden Book for Houston (River Oaks Garden Club) lists 5 that are common here: Red (40x25), Shumard (60x40), Southern Red (75x50), Red (70x45) and Texas Red (45x35).

The former book has pictures, the latter does not.

This being Houston, wouldn't it be likely it was planted by the developer or homeowner rather than saved during construction?

Thanks, I actually own both of those books...and one day I will unpack them!

I will have to measure the circumference of the tree and see how old it is. It is located within 5' of the bay window at the rear of the house...so close, in fact, that we toyed with having it removed. Cooler heads prevailed and we decided that the neighbors would have burned us at the stake for doing something so wrong, LOL. Here is another pic of it...pay no mind to the condition of the house since we are in the process of renovating it. I'll post a picture of it from the front of the house tomorrow.