Seven Sisters Oak facts for kids
The Seven Sisters Oak is a huge southern live oak tree found in Mandeville, Louisiana. It's famous for being one of the biggest and oldest trees of its kind in the state.
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What Makes This Tree Special?
This amazing tree is the current president of the Live Oak Society. This special title is given to the largest live oak tree that is registered with the society. It's like being the leader of all the other big oak trees!
Its Name and History
The tree was first called "Doby’s Seven Sisters" when it was registered with the Live Oak Society. This was because the Doby family owned the land where the tree grew, and Mrs. Doby was one of seven sisters. Later, its name was changed to simply "Seven Sisters Oak."
There was a question for a while about whether the Seven Sisters Oak was actually one tree or several trees that had grown together. But in 1976, tree experts called foresters checked it out. They confirmed that the tree grew from a single root system, meaning it is indeed one giant tree!
How Big Is the Seven Sisters Oak?
This tree is truly enormous! In 2016, its trunk measured about 12.08 m (39.6 ft) around. That's like wrapping a measuring tape around more than two cars parked side-by-side!
At that time, the tree stood about 17.4 m (57 ft) tall. Imagine a five-story building; this tree is almost as tall! By 2018, its branches spread out over 153 feet wide. That's wider than a basketball court!
How Old Is This Giant Tree?
Experts believe the Seven Sisters Oak is very, very old. Its age is estimated to be somewhere between 500 and 1,000 years old. This means it was growing long before the United States was even a country!
