Contest of the Live Oaks

I love seeing the “biggest”, “oldest”, or whatever, but I wonder how they really know. When we were in Texas, we saw the “The Big Tree” at Goose Island State Park. It is 44 feet high with a crown spread of 89 feet. It is believed to be 1000 years old though Wikipedia says it may be 2000 years old. The trunk is listed at over 35 feet in circumference. However, it is registered in the Live Oak Society to have only a 25.06 foot girth (trunk circumference).

Angel Oak is on Johns Island, South Carolina. They say it’s the oldest living thing east of the Rockies. The stated estimated age is 1500 years old while Wikepedia says it is only 500 years old. It is 65 feet tall and the trunk is 28 feet in circumference. Again, the Live Oak Registry differs in that it says it has only a 22.0 feet girth though it mentions that it was last formally measured 50 years ago. It’s all very confusing. Either way, Angel Oak is big and old!

While this is a popular stop for people, the road to the tree is a dirt road with branches hanging down into the road. When we got there, the park was locked up! So, there was a line of cars parked along with road with people peering through the fence. The people there were speaking all kinds of languages. Too bad they had to come all the way here to see the tree behind a chain link fence.