The tree represents part of the historical flora of Old Town Alexandria. Now highly developed, this area once supported back-swamps within an ancient river terrace. This specimen predates the community that surrounds it. It is located in the courtyard of Manor House Apartments. According to the property manager, the apartments were essentially built around the tree in the 1940s and it is the centerpiece of the courtyard where it provides shade for residents enjoying the patio. The base of the tree resides in a well because the soil level was raised several feet when the apartments were constructed. Many trees do not tolerate this degree of disturbance. However, ash is tolerant of low soil oxygen, and the tree's relative youth at the time afforded vitality to overcome the stress.
When emerald ash borer arrived in the area, the tree was preemptively treated with Xytect 2F (imidacloprid), applied as a soil drench around the trunk base, by Rod Simmons on 6/22/2017. Tree was reported in good shape overall at the time and no signs of EAB. Due to concerns that the tree may be vulnerable to storm damage and failure, crown reduction pruning was performed in recent years, reducing the height from 97' to 79'. Tree was treated again with insecticide by Virginia Dept. of Forestry and Arborjet through the company's ""Saving America's Iconic Trees"" program on 7/22/2020.
The tree has a peculiar growth habit likely due to the original trunk being felled or destroyed many decades (centuries?) ago, resulting in coppice sprouting. The resulting form is two large stems that diverge about 1' above the root collar, which then bifurcate again about 6' above the root collar to form four primary stems.
This growth habit complicates the measurement protocol of the big tree program, which stipulates the trunk measurement at 4.5' above ground to get above the pronounced trunk taper that most trees exhibit near ground level. In the past, multi-trunk trees were accommodated by simply measuring the trunk at its base below the fork. However, this creates an unfair comparison with single-trunk trees measured at 4.5' because of additional girth near ground level.
For the recent measurement of this tree, each of the two primary stems were measured at 4.5' above ground. The left stem measured 138"" and right stem measured 153"". Composite circumference (based on the summed basal area of these stems) equaled 206"". The primary trunk measured at the root collar was 252"". Previous measurements in 2011 by Rod Simmons and Greg Zell were 237"", 97', 83', 355 points. Former state champion.
