Scott and Tony, That black gum is spectacular. I've never seen one anywhere near that large in circumference or with near that limb mass. The crown structure really gives the tree a lot of character. Given the size of the trunk and quantity of large limbs it seems like in terms of volume, it must be in the running for the largest ENTS has seen. A taller, slimmer tree on the Tennessee side of the Smokies is the only one I know of that may be larger. I think it would be great to get a volume estimate for the tree; only for a few species does have estimates of their maximum volume, and that tree looks like a good place to start for black gum. Determining the volume would take quite a bit of effort since a series of circumference would need to be taken going out each of the limbs in addition to the main trunk, but it would be great to have that data. Nice find!
Jess On Thu, Sep 11, 2008 at 3:05 PM, pabigtrees <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ENTS > > I finally relocated our state champion Black Gum today after three > years of looking on and off. The address that was recorded in 1993 > was listed as Timber Hill Rd Phoenixville, which doesn't exist. I > finally found a reference to the tree in a 1932 copy of a book and > found it was on Tinker Hill Rd in Phoenixville. The area had been > developed a while back, and now the tree is on a different street > altogether. The tree was believed to be 325 years old, Young for > Black Gum, right? Upon seeing the tree it fell into the theory of > mine that in colonial times and into the 1800's, folks planted fast > growing trees on the south side of their house for "air conditioning" > keeping them cool in summer and warmer in winter. This is fairly well > known, but I started estimating age of the trees by when the house was > built. Often the ages I come up with are much more sensible, although > not proven. The Black Gum shades a 1729 stone farmhouse that sits up > on a knoll. Black Gum tends to like a different location and there > weren't any other Black Gum growing in the vicinity. My guess is the > tree is around 280 years old rather than 325. Check out the > picture! > http://www.pabigtrees.com/trees/images/trees%20by%20county/chester/pictures/tinker%20hill%20black%20gum%20small%2008.jpg > > Measurements are as follows: > > 1932 12'cbh > 1982 14'2 cbh > 1999 14.9 cbh > 2008 15.1 cbh 74.1 tall with a 107' spread > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org You are subscribed to the Google Groups "ENTSTrees" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
