Big Boys Hobbies

Have you ever wondered how old a tree is?

N

NectarDetector

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One of my favorite places to detect is in the woods and at old home sites that usually have a few large trees still standing. Around those large trees is a great spot to find silver coins in my experience. We often estimate the age of trees by looking at them, but did you know that there was another way to estimate a trees age besides 'guesstimating?"

You can make a fairly good estimate of a tree’s age using a simple formula published by the International Society of Arboriculture.

http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property/your-trees-and-woods/backyard-tree-care/how-old-tree

Just a fun tip...
 
very interesting, I worked for a tree service, for quite a few years, knew about this formula, I have cut down many different mature species of trees.
I remember, one oak specifally that was huge, counted the rings at the ground level base having over 400 plus rings............
 
Now you just need to learn what tree is what LOL.

Here is a good example.

Both these trees are about the same diameter. The closer one is over 100 years old the other more like 50-60 years old. One giveaway is the roots. The old Cottonwood looks like it was stuck in the ground. No roots showing. That comes from many years of the Arkansas River flooding, which is about 50' to the left, and the flooding deposited mud which buried the roots, and coins, very deep.

wright3.jpg
 
Great post and followup pics! A guy should know these kinds of things, especially in our line of work!

My Grandpa sort of taught me this, reach around a tree, if your fingers touch, its @100yrs old...
I guess this makes sense...my wingspan is 60", divided by 3.14, or lets say 3, thats 20d"...X 5=100yrs...

From the looks of the website, this sort of applies to most trees we come in contact with, oaks, maples etc..

Nice shot of the cottonwood and what looks like an oak or elm..probably elm planted for shade in that park as it was common tree to plant back then....a guy can even see the river levee in the far left...that old sidewalk needs a sweep, which I'm sure you did! Good work here fellas!
Mud
 
Thanks for posting I've been wondering about this a lot. At one of my schoolhouse locations there is a tree so big it has to be 250+ years old all i need to do now is measure it and figure out what it is :lol:
 
I have always wondered how old this oak tree is? There are 3 of them surrounded by much younger trees. I'm sure at one time they were the only trees standing in the area. The house and road near them dates to the mid 1800s but I think these trees are much older, they are huge!

Image04282013151012.jpg
 
Trees cannot be necessarily judged by age from the size.Maple trees can grow 50 feet with a girth of 4 feet in diameter in 30 years.Root exposure is caused by rocky soil or too much water,choking the tree causing the roots to the surface.
 
woodbutcher said:
Trees cannot be necessarily judged by age from the size.Maple trees can grow 50 feet with a girth of 4 feet in diameter in 30 years.Root exposure is caused by rocky soil or too much water,choking the tree causing the roots to the surface.
Click to expand...

This^

You can have an oak with a diameter of 20 inches that is 100 years old, with a silver maple next to it with a 5ft diameter that is only 60...

Trying to attain a tree's age with a measuring tape would be about the same as trying to get a person's age with a ruler...

<°)))>{
 
Ice Scratcher said:
This^

You can have an oak with a diameter of 20 inches that is 100 years old, with a silver maple next to it with a 5ft diameter that is only 60...

Trying to attain a tree's age with a measuring tape would be about the same as trying to get a person's age with a ruler...

<°)))>{
Click to expand...

Well I guess you guys would know more than those who do this for a living so I'll take your words for it instead of the Missouri Department of Conservation's.

Should just ask ya'll instead! :lol:
 
This is awesome. Thanks! Just got back from my property this weekend and had this very conversation about trying to find out how old some of the trees were. This will definitely help!!
 
I just noticed this thread. That is a great link. Thanks for posting it.

When I used to do forest "engineering" (timber unit layout), we came across many very large spruce trees. The largest we measured was over 9' in diameter!
 
Ice Scratcher said:
This^

You can have an oak with a diameter of 20 inches that is 100 years old, with a silver maple next to it with a 5ft diameter that is only 60...

Trying to attain a tree's age with a measuring tape would be about the same as trying to get a person's age with a ruler...

<°)))>{
Click to expand...

:laughing: Well...looks like Grandpa was wrong again! Just like when he bought that bag of magic beans from the old Gypsy Peddler! Good job boys!
Mud
 
NectarDetector said:
Well I guess you guys would know more than those who do this for a living so I'll take your words for it instead of the Missouri Department of Conservation's.

Should just ask ya'll instead! :lol:
Click to expand...

Being a certified arborist in MI. with over 20 years of forestry, dendrology in as many as 15 states, is a little more focused on trees than some Conservation Dpt...

:D

<°)))>{
 
I see that link has a " growth factor " which is different for each species.. It may come relatively close most of the time for average sites... At first I assumed it was one formula for any tree..

<°)))>{
 
Ice Scratcher said:
Being a certified arborist in MI. with over 20 years of forestry, dendrology in as many as 15 states, is a little more focused on trees than some Conservation Dpt...

:D

<°)))>{
Click to expand...

Nice to know Ice! Got me a Forestry degree and never really used it... :/

But really enjoyed the dendrology and getting out in the field :thumbsup:
 
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