Angel Oak

While visiting family in Charleston, South Carolina, we have had the opportunity for several years to experience the city and local area. It is a great location for not only sightseeing, but also to observe aspects of nature that we do not see in the Appalachian Mountains. On our last visit, our daughter took us to a special spot just a short drive from Folly Island. We visited Angel Oak Park, which is the home to "the oldest tree east of the Mississippi." The Angel Oak is a live oak, a tree native to the southeast Low Country, especially the Sea Islands.

Although the age of Angel Oak has long been reported to be in excess of 1400 years, the actual age has never been scientifically substantiated. This is because live oak trees have a tendency toward heart rot, which makes the core samples useless. Live Oaks are not tall trees; however, their canopies are exceedingly wide. Only in the very oldest specimens, like the Angel Oak, do you find massive limbs, heavy by the weight of the years, resting gracefully on the ground.

Many people mistakenly believe the name "Angel Oak" refers to a type of Live Oak, but actually this name comes from Martha and Justis Angel who were owners of this property generations ago.

This tree is breathtakingly huge!!! The dimensions of Angel Oak are as follows: Height - 65 Feet, Circumference - 25.5 Feet, Area of Shade - 17,000 Square Feet, Largest Limb - 89 Feet Long, 11.25 Feet Thick.