Was looking through Dr. Doctor's pics he took today from the snow thread, and I started thinking about it when I got to this picture. How much longer do you think the Century Tree will live? No doubt they have people that take the best care they can for it, but it has been there a long time and with the concrete surrounding it, increasing weight of the branches, and other factors it's eventually gonna come down.

Over/under on another century?
(double century tree)

wayyyyy under

1 year, Bob

Long enough for many more premature engagements.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irMg77jCdtM

oak wilt will probably get it.

oak wilt will probably get it.

1 year and 1 second, Bob

That tree has been on life support for YEARS...

it'll be around a bit longer.

i'll be sad when it finally goes

maybe they'll do a statue replica of it over that same spot

Worst proposal place EVAR

When I was in school, they called it the "Last Thursday Tree"...

Aggro FTW

Well, live oaks can live over 200 years, so it may see a second century.

The Founders Oak in New Braunfels makes the Century Tree look like a twig:



Legend has it this is where founders of New Braunfels held their first council meeting in 1845.

TH, that's not the expert analysis we're looking for out of you

Live oaks can live a lot longer than 200 years. The above specimen is in Rockport and estimated to be 1000 years old.

This is a picture of the state champion live oak:


Seven Sisters Tree, estimated at 1200 years


Granted, these are prime specimens, but >200 years isn't uncommon. Bugs/lightening and disease typically do in the trees. The shapes of the crotches of the trees also tend to catch/hold water in pockets which can lead to fungi/disease and weakening which can start to eat at the heartwood of the tree and rot the inside.

Unless there are any particular signs of stressors or illnesses in the tree, I would not be surprised to see it make it another couple hundred years.

[This message has been edited by agrams (edited 2/4/2011 3:06p).]

Those are some beautiful trees TreeHugger and Agrams..

My parent's have a Live Oak in their backyard that is absolutley massive. I'm curious if it's base, or the Century tree's base, are bigger around.

My plantation has two oak trees that are pushing 500 years old.


They were not new when Colombus hit the Americas. I think Century Tree can go a bit longer.

~egon

Does anyone else find those trees extremely creepy? Very cool still, but definitely with a moderate to high creepiness factor.

quote:

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Does anyone else find those trees extremely creepy?

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And people wonder why your screen name is SKF.

I've been to the rockport tree.

Century tree is a baby compared to that one.

I hope the spanish moss doesn't get to it. I'm starting to wonder if anyone on campus is doing anything to rid the campus of this carp. It's killed a number of the trees in Academic Plaza already.

i passed out while climbing century tree one night. i woke up with no hangover and plenty of wood. it was awesome.

Where is that 7 Sisters tree located? That's a pretty cool lookin' tree.

Nice one, Boston.

My buddy had his wedding at Oak Alley and I thought the trees there were absolutely awesome.

Found this picture and thought it was amazing.

I was told the one our at Parrie Haynes Ranch is estimated to be the second oldest in the state. Not sure which one is estimated to be the oldest.