Big Trees

Anonymous Poster · Jan 14, 2001

I dunno Bird /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif,

Check out the Southern Magnolia on the link Twinlkletoes gave us.. 223 inches (I think it was) sounds pretty big to me!

/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Larry

ERNIEB · Jan 14, 2001

The biggest trees I have are Live Oaks, nothing to compare with the one on Allen's link. I've seen that tree at Goose Island State Park, 422 inches, one monster oak tree. It's not even a national champion. Wonder where the champ is? and how big it is? I was surprised at the number of national champs on that link.
Now, in the category of Honey Mesquite, I might have a chance. A few of mine are pretty big, for a Honey Mesquite that is.

Ernie
"It will be appalling to you to learn, and see herewith inclosed our alarming weakness"
James C. Neill, Alamo commander Jan. 1936

TWINKLE_TOES · Jan 14, 2001

Ernie,

Here are a couple of links you might enjoy the first is "Big" trees that have some historical link in Texas history/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.
More of an add for books, but still fun.
http://www.oldtrees.org/texas.htm

The second is the 25 top national "big" trees and the National champion Canyon live Oak is shown @ 422 inches, but in California.
http://www.americanforests.org/big_trees/top_25.html

GrantMO · Jan 15, 2001

I've seen the second Sitka spruce (#4) on the top 25 list. It's a monster and located less than a 1/4 mile off highway 26. Definitely worth the stop.

Grant

jyoutz · Jan 15, 2001

A forester just has to jump into this discussion. On my property, I just have immature ponderosa pine, but in the forest where I work I know of one 70" diameter at breast height (dbh) Douglas-fir, 145+ feet in height, and many over 50" dbh. I also know of several ponderosa pine over 50" dbh, and many over 40" dbh, about 140 feet in height. This doesn't compare with the Pacific coast timber, but it's not bad for the interior Rocky Mnts.

Harv · Jan 15, 2001

I had counted Bird and Ernie out

Aren't those the Sesame Street guys? /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

(Sorry -- Just got back from a long drive. Guess you don't need any sass from one of those evil Californians.) /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

Now about big trees, I thought I'd posted the attached picture a while back, but I couldn't find it, so here is the bottom two thirds of an oak up at the property that I just happened to have a picture of. No chance of winning this contest, but I took the picture 'cuz all the while I was working on culvert #3, this large "thing" kept getting in my way. It wasn't until I walked out a ways and turned around that I saw the full height of this puppy. Its wingspan, which isn't shown in the picture was also impressive -- touching trees 30 feet away on either side.

roysallis · Jan 15, 2001

Harv, what is that little orange thing beside the tree?/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
I wish I had some trees like that on my place that would dwarf my tractor like that one does yours.

ERNIEB · Jan 15, 2001

Allen, Good links. I would think that the Canyon Live Oak is a subspecies of Live Oak . The champion Live Oak must be somewhere else.
Oh, and Harv, I will not sing "Rubber Ducky"

Ernie
"It will be appalling to you to learn, and see herewith inclosed our alarming weakness"
James C. Neill, Alamo commander Jan. 1836

Harv · Jan 15, 2001

I will not sing "Rubber Ducky

Sounds like you're familiar with the "real" Ernie, eh?

Please tell me it's because you have kids. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

ERNIEB · Jan 15, 2001

Yep, Went down Sesame Street about 18 to 20 years ago, with Strawberry Shortcake, and the Care Bears.
Recently been going down it again, this time with Pokemon, and Rescue Heroes. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Ernie
"It will be appalling to you to learn, and see herewith inclosed our alarming weakness"
James C. Neill, Alamo commander Jan. 1836

GlueGuy · Sep 11, 2001

These trees are a little south of your mountain property Harv, and this is obviously from a postcard (guess where? /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif). However, this photo captures better than almost any I've ever seen the immensity of the giant redwood (Sequoia Gigantia).

My wife works up the park as a volunteer every summer, and one of her co-volunteers sent us this postcard the other day. Pretty impressive in my opinion...

The GlueGuy

DaveNH · Sep 11, 2001

Are the trees really that big?
Looks like one of those postcards that you see a man riding a jackrabbit!

Really?

Dave

We're all in this together! (3)
Retired Yuppie Tractor Owner

Harv · Sep 11, 2001

Wow, GlueGuy!

You just triggered a childhood flashback with that picture. On a family vacation we got to experience what really big trees in Northern California look like up close. The second picture below is the 9-in-1 Cathedral Tree up near Klamath. The picture doesn't begin to convey the feeling you get when your inside that thing looking up.

And I didn't see it (it's fallen over now), but then there was the famous Wawona Tree:

ronjhall · Sep 11, 2001

Harv
Isn't there a tree in Sequoia National Park that a car can drive through?

Anonymous Poster · Sep 11, 2001

Try this for the oak champ. Wye Oak State Park
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This park gets its name from the Wye Oak. The tree is the largest and finest of its species in the United States. As a protective site for the great Wye Oak, this 27-acre state park honors the champion of all white oaks (Quercus alba) in the United States. This tree is 79 feet high, with a crown measuring 102 feet across, and with a trunk, whose measurements at four feet above ground, is over 31 feet in circumference. Maryland's State Tree, the Wye, is thought to be over 460 years old.

GlueGuy · Sep 11, 2001

Dave

Yes, those trees are real. In fact, the ones in the postcard above aren't even the biggest. Largest (that I know of) is the General Grant tree in Sequoia/Kings Canyon. It is immense; roughly 30-some feet in diameter (near or over a 100' in circumference).

Harv

Yeah. Those trees are all amazing. You walk through those groves, and it is like a religious experience.

Ron

The only "drive-through" tree that I knew of was on the "Avenue of the Giants" in Humbolt County (North California). The one I knew of collapsed. The problem with putting a road through the tree is that it compacts the soil, and kills the roots. These trees consume/dissipate a _lot_ of moisture. They literally generate the weather in the groves.

The GlueGuy

scruffy · Sep 11, 2001

The Drive Thru Tree is located in Leggett, CA., 13 miles south of Piercy, Ca which is the terminus of Humboldt county, and the start of Mendacino county when you are driving south on 101. It is at the junction of U.S. Hwy 1 and 101. It is owned by a friend. I used to live about a mile and a half from it. There is another one located in Myers Flat, approximately 40 miles north of the Humboldt/Mendacino county lines. It is not near as impressive as the one located at Leggett. Leggett area also has the Tree House, and Confusion Hill (actually located about six or seven miles north of Leggett.
Do not be confused by the 'other' tree house located on the Avenue of the Giants (old hwy 101) north of Garberville. The One Log House located (now) in Phillipsville is a stones throw from the house that I spent some high school years living in. It used to be located a stone's throw from my folks house that they bought after I left home...and before it got moved to Phillipsville.

Both drive through trees are still standing, and still tourist traps. As most tourist traps go, I had never been in them per se, except for about 8 or 9 years ago, when family wanted to see them.
Edited by scruffy on 09/11/01 07:07 PM (server time).