Saving 400-year-old Bur Oak tree was highlight for Plano Parks and Rec in 2021
The Bur Oak tree is one of the oldest in North Texas.
Plano's Bur Oak tree in Bob Woodruff Park South is estimated to be more than 400 years old. The tree has received special treatment and pruning to help keep it thriving.(Photo courtesy of City of Plano screenshot)
Published December 31, 2021 By TERI WEBSTER
Plano’s Parks and Recreation department cited a project to preserve the city’s oldest tree as one of the department’s top highlights of 2021.
The quadricentennial (400 years) Bur Oak tree in Bob Woodruff Park South, 3840 E. Park Blvd., is documented as the oldest living tree found in Plano, according to the Texas Historic Tree Coalition.
In September, the tree received special treatment after a 50-inch crack was discovered in its trunk, the department wrote in a Facebook post. Treatment for the tree included fertilizer injections and pruning. Roughly four tons of wood were removed to help reduce stress on the leaning tree, according to the department.
According to the city, the tree is doing well and should continue to flourish as a wildlife habitat for many years to come.
Plano’s Bur Oak tree is 90 feet tall, and has a circumference of 196 inches with a crown spread of 103 feet, according to the Texas Historic Tree Coalition.
In comparison, Cooke County is home to the Texas State Champion Bur Oak. That tree stands 75 feet tall and has a 268-inch circumference with a crown spread of 111 feet, according to the coalition.
Bur Oaks can reach as high as 80 feet or more, with a trunk diameter of 5 feet, according to Texas A&M Forest Service website.