Tree Information
Common Name: post oak
Scientific Name: Quercus stellata
Native/Naturalized: Native to Virginia
Database ID: 2449
Status: alive
National Champion: no
Virginia Champion: no
Trunk Girth: 217 in.
Tree Height: 77 ft.
Crown Spread: 90 ft.
Points: 317
Date Last Measured: 2026
Last Measured by: Caroline Norris, D.W. Coble, Byron Carmean, Gary Williamson, Bella Hardaway, Eric Wiseman
Date First Measured: 2016
Comments:
2026 comments: Tree resides on a rural parcel surrounded by agriculture fields. House was built in 1951 and the tree is prominently visible in a 1959 aerial photo with a crown spread of similar size to the modern day. It is likely that this tree has been open-grown for many decades. Tree appears to have been topped 40-50 years ago and has a makeshift cabling system to support the three codominant stems. The cables were not installed properly and have severely girdled the stems. However the stems are callusing around the cables and do not appear to be affecting crown health. The growth habit is atypical for the species and is likely the result of the original tree being cut down or destroyed and the current stems were sprouts from the residual stump. The trunk measured at its smallest girth below the fork and above the ground (about 3' high) was 264". Each stem was measured individually above their union at about 6' above ground. Stem 1 (north position) = 121". Stem 2 (southwest position) = 127". Stem 3 (southeast position) = 127". Because multi-stem growth is atypical for post oak and to provide fair comparison with other specimens, the composite circumference of the three stems was used for scoring.
2016 comments: Tree is healthy. Had cabling done many years ago. Measured by James H. Blackwell III: Trunk = 274" (below fork), Height = 67', Crown = 75', Points = 360.
Location of Tree
Tree is located in: Surry
Land Owner: Norman Pearce
GPS Coordinates: 37.1018, -77.029447
Directions: From the town of Waverly (US Route 460), travel northeast to route 40 - approximately 6 miles. The house is on the left, tree is behind house.
Owner Address: 3429 Martin Luther King Highway
Waverly, VA 23890
Owner Phone: Private
Contact Information
Contact Name: Caroline Norris
Contact Email: Rebecca.Norris@dof.virginia.gov
Contact Phone: 757-758-0657
Contact Info: Caroline is county forester for Virginia Department of Forestry. Landowner at time of original nomination was Mercell Booth.
Nominators
Original Nominator(s): James H. Blackwell III
Additional Information
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