Old Trees At The Farm

[Cool Hand Luke]

I wanted to start sharing some pictures of some of the old trees I come across. They’re too cool. I know some of these to be very old, as they can be seen in pictures we found stashed away in the farmhouse pre-dating 1900. There’s a pine stump in the yard that I counted over 140 rings on.

Maybe you guys can help me with some of these as I go and give me your thoughts on propagating more as I continue the journey of habitat restoration!

I’ll start with this one. I believe this is a chestnut. It made little nuts this spring but they all turned brown and never grew. I’m assuming because of the drought. Anyways, my wife’s aunt who’s in her 70’s says that her mother used to climb this tree when she was little. That puts it over 100 years old at least. There are 3 more on the back 40. They all look very unique. My wife pulled a “weed” out from the kids playground this spring and I found it laying in the grass just as it had started to form a seedling. It’s coming along slowly.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The leaf pattern looks like horse chestnut. Some of you gents have plants I'm not familiar with though.

 

[b116757]

Buckeye

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Ok, thank you both! Very good to know. What I'm reading is not great for wildlife but does serve an important role in pollinators for bees and birds.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Let’s try this one next.

Ponderosa Pine? If so, you don’t see many of those in Illinois. Would’ve been a cool story to find how they even got a hold of it for a planting way back.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

How long are the needles, and how many needles in each individual "bundle"? Cone pics would also help. 1st pic looks like a pitch pine - but 2nd pic - the bark doesn't look like a pitch pine. I haven't seen bark like that on a pine here.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

How long are the needles, and how many needles in each individual "bundle"? Cone pics would also help. 1st pic looks like a pitch pine - but 2nd pic - the bark doesn't look like a pitch pine. I haven't seen bark like that on a pine here.

If they weren't 20' up I'd try and measure! I'll see if I can get a closer pic today.