Texas Big Tree List
Registry
The registry of the Texas Big Tree list is found at:
http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/uploadedFiles/FRD/Urban_Forestry/Big_Tree_Registry/BTR-NativeNaturalized(1).pdf
The largest Pecan Tree in the state of Texas is in Parker County. A trunk circumference at 54″ off of the ground is 258 inches or 21.5 feet around
the tree trunk at this location. The tree is 91 feet tall and the average spread of the tree crown is 117 feet.
The following link has a page that tells you “How to measure a big tree”. You can then create a big tree index for your tree (s). to compare them to other big trees in the state. (In this case you add the 258 inches of tree trunk circumference + height of the tree measured in feet at 91 feet, then divided the average tree crown spread measured at the widest point then again at 90* to this point 117 divided by 4 is 29 so to get the tree index for this state champion pecan you add 258 + 91 + 29 = 378 for a bigtreeindex.http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=1336
Forestry folks can estimate the age of a tree by comparing the living tree to other known ages of similar trees that were cut down in the area and
the tree rings counted. They can also bore into the tree with a device all the way to the center of the tree and then count the rings from this tool.
This creates a small wound or hole all the way to the center of the trunk.This ONLY works if the tree has no voids or hollow rotten trunk where they bore
into the tree.
Sounds like this tree would be one you would wish to clone by taking cuttings from the tree now and grafting them on other pecans later this
spring.
There are also a couple of companies you can search for on the internet thatspecialize in cloning historic trees and also some who specialize in
cloning
“World, National or State Champion” trees. You can actually buy some of these clones from trees that Thomas Jefferson or George Washington had
growing on their property. Keith Kridler
