Monday, February 11, 2008

The Angel Oak










The Angel Oak is thought to be one of the oldest living things east of the Mississippi River.

Towering over 65 feet high, the Angel Oak has shaded John's Island, South Carolina, for over 1400 years, and would have sprouted 1000 years before Columbus' arrival in the New World. Recorded history traces the ownership of the live oak and surrounding land, back to the year 1717 when Abraham Waight received it as part of a small land grant. The tree stayed in the Waight family for four generations, and was part of a Marriage Settlement to Justus Angel and Martha Waight Tucker Angel. In modern times, the Angel Oak has become the focal point of a public park. Today the live oak has a diameter of spread reaching 160 feet, a circumference of nearly 25 feet, and covers 17,100 square feet of ground. www.historictrees.org

Acorns from the Angel Oak have grown to produce authentic direct-offspring trees. Live oaks generally grow out and not up, but the Angel Oak has had plenty of time to do both. Its limbs, the size of tree trunks themselves, are so large and heavy that some of them rest on the ground (some even drop underground for a few feet and then come back up), a feature common to only the very oldest live oaks.

It has survived countless hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and human interference, so there's a good chance it will still be there waiting for you. There is no admission charge.

19 comments:

Unknown said...

What an exquisite tree! I love the first photo with the blue sky peeking through the branches.

My husband has always told me I would love Charleston, your photos make me believe he would be correct!

S-V-H said...

Hi Angie,

and he is right...! :-)
You would love it, Im sure. This city has so much to offer: it is big with its variety of stuff and things to do and still so "small" and "privat" in its charm. I LOVE it to be here.

Thanks for the comment.

silken said...

oohhh, my kids would be itching to climb all over this tree!

S-V-H said...

Thank you Silken

for your nice comment. There were some kids and they tried to climb....I can understand that feelings. :-)

Earl said...

A beautiful series of photos of this tree. I liked the way you described the age in terms of history. It's humbling to realize how much of a blip in time we are. Great post.

S-V-H said...

You are so right, Earl!

This are exact the thoughts that I had too, standing beside this so impressive creation of mother nature. It's overwhelming.

Thanks for your comment.

Voegtli said...

You are back, you are putting photos again for our enjoyment. We are all happy.

We have a tree here, the Baobab, it looks almost like this type of tree. Except it almost has no/never leaves.

And BTW, if you go and read my post "Mentor", you will see that there is something for you.

I wish you a lovely day

Peter

Anonymous said...

what a fantastic tree. great shapes

S-V-H said...

Hallo Peter

Ganz herzlichen Dank fuer deine heutige schoene Bemerkung ueber meinen Blog. Ich werde nun rueber gehen zu deinem Blog und bin schon ganz gespannt, was mich dort erwarten wird..:-)

S-V-H said...

Thank you so much evlahos,

for visiting my post and for writing your nice comment!

myonlyphoto said...

Susanne this is the most amazing oak tree I have ever seen, cannot even compare to the palm trees, but your palm trees from Key West will be always with me. Anna :)

S-V-H said...

Hi Anna,

thanks for your kind comment. I will find some palm trees here also for you, promise! :-)

joey said...

Awesome subject ... artfully captured. Enjoyed my first time visit.

S-V-H said...

Thanks for your visit and for your comment, Joey.

I hope to see you here back often. :-)

Wayfarer said...

We have a tree like that in nearby Thomasville, but no where near that size. Thas huge!

S-V-H said...

Hi Rick,

thanks for commenting again. Did you have photographed that tree once in your blog?

Anonymous said...

Wow, what an incredible tree -- and your photos of it are inspiring. Thanks also for telling the story of the tree.

S-V-H said...

Hi Bobbie,

thanks for your nice compliment to my photos about this wonderful tree.

Anonymous said...

The City Of Charleston has just approved a plan to develop on 3 sides of The Angel Oak. The plan includes 600 low end housing units and office/commercial space. Charlestonians feel this will severly damage if not kill our Angel. Please help us save her!

Get in touch with Charleston County Council, Mayor Riley or go to
http://www. thepetitionsite. com/1/save-the-angel-oak-on-johns-island-sc
and sign our petition to try to stop this insanity!

Thank you, Lorna Hattler

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