Tree has co-dominant leaders that were fused and grafted to one another at time of nomination in 2005, and the common girth of the two leaders was measured at that time. Since then, weather and crown mass have split the two leaders back apart and they now have an air gap between them beyond 5' above ground. The bark inclusion between the stems extends down to ground line. It is difficult to surmise whether this is a tree from a single seed. The stems are of equal girth, height, and spread, which suggests a single seedling was damaged early in life and produced two leaders. Given its location in an ancient fence row, it may have been cut back as a seedling during fence maintenance long ago.
At 4.5 feet, the tape wrap around both stems was 242"". Each stem measured individually at this height was 132"" and 180"". The composite circumference of these stems is 223"".
Tree was previously measured at 224"", 68', 49' and 304 points in 2009 by Byron Carmean and Gary Williamson.
More Photos
Top: G. Williamson, 2005. Bottom 3: B. Carmean, July 2021.