100 Year Old Catawba

[Chris-PA]

We have a 100 year old catawba tree right next to our house. I love the tree, but it's pretty old for one of these.

I know they have a reputation for getting hollow too, but today I was picking at a rotten spot at the base, and ended up going through:


I'm thinking it might make a nice shop:


Lots of head room:

Well, I guess I'm going to have to do something about that tree. Maybe towards the end of the summer, as I can't imagine how hot the house will get without it (we don't use AC). I will immediately plant another, but even though they are fast growing it will be quite a few years until it provides any shade.

 

[dancan]

Several years of ac costs will be cheaper than the "what if" costs happened . With the changes in the weather lately , not worth trying to find out in my mind , go with your gut feelings .

 

[mainewoods]

Too bad, that's a beautiful old tree. If it was me, I would get some AC and put that old girl down before you regret it.

 

[Chris-PA]

Several years of ac costs will be cheaper than the "what if" costs happened . With the changes in the weather lately , not worth trying to find out in my mind , go with your gut feelings .

Well, it's not a tradeoff of AC costs as I won't be using AC regardless, and while the cost of taking it down will be difficult that really isn't the issue either. Really, it's just that I love that tree. When it's in flower it is beautiful:

 

[Dalmatian90]

Neat looking house.

 

[CTYank]

Don't you hate to see that happen to an old friend?

 

[Chris-PA]

Don't you hate to see that happen to an old friend?

Yeah. The folks we bought the place from had lived here for 42 years, and they told us that the man who had planted it had stopped by some years before and told them the story.

 

[Hinerman]

Not to pour any salt in the wound,,,,but that is one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen. I have never heard of the species nor have I ever seen one,,,at least not that I know of.

You may want to get an opinion from somebody in the know (professional botanist or University) before cutting it down. It may last longer than you think. I understand the risk though.

 

[zogger]

We had HUGE trees around the cabin. I mean whoppers. The tornado changed my opinion of big trees, healthy or not, within striking range of where I live. Two are all the way down, the last and largest I storied here before with pics, the five cord just from the branches giant oak. It is still mostly there but getting to dead. boss and bucket truck guys claimed it would live, i told them it would croak, as did all the guys who replied to the before and during and after action pics (now all poofed in the archives) About 95 foot high, 110 ft spread, five foot plus DBH. Very few scraggly live branches on it. Eventually even the boss and his friend with the truck will be forced to admit I was right, but..I know they will blame it on me, that I didn't water it enough.....they didn't leave a single live branch with leaves on it and expected it to live. They are experts because they watched one TV show and it said you could resurrect a tree whacked like that with watering. I am not kidding, this is what i was told down here in the land of hoop snake junk science. The first year I did, hours a day every day..it did nothing like I expected.

I am sure this old tree has memories, but there's fity ton (whatever) of wood still hangin in the front yard now..I am paranoid about it. Some of the branches have to weigh more than big pickup trucks.

We live in Georgia, it gets hot here, no AC, we use ceiling fans and window fans and that's it. We lost all the shade, and I don't care. I adjust to it. The dogs have two much smaller trees for shade to hang around in in the summer, or go under the trucks.

 

[rarefish383]

I was going to say to those who have never heard of the Catawba Tree, and seeing the purple flowers, that it was a Catalpa Tree. When I googled catalpa, it said they are often called Catawba Trees. So, you are quite right, and it is the Tallest one I've ever seen. A friend did some work at a church and they have one that looks to be as big around as yours but only about 45 or 50 feet tall. It's a shame to loose it, but that is a lot of canopy up there, with a greatly compromised trunk. Good luck in your decision, Joe.

 

[Chris-PA]

Not to pour any salt in the wound,,,,but that is one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen. I have never heard of the species nor have I ever seen one,,,at least not that I know of.

You may want to get an opinion from somebody in the know (professional botanist or University) before cutting it down. It may last longer than you think. I understand the risk though.

I agree, I'm not going to rush out in a panic. I've known it was hollow for some time, and they are known to do that. All that heartwood did not go away quickly, so it's probably been hollow for the 11+ years we've been here. It's survived the Halloween storm and Hurricane Sandy, as well as the many bouts of severe storms we get regularly these days. Also, we had most of the large branches over the house removed some years ago.

Still, they are not supposed to live that long nor get that big. Everything has it's limits.

 

[Streblerm]

Not to be pedantic (but I will). That looks more like a catalpa tree with the white flowers and big leaves. Does it get the big bean pods?
If so then it is definitely a catalpa. Catawba is a kind of grape.

I feel your pain. That is a magnificent tree.

edit: Guess I should have read all the responses before I posted, oh well

 

[buzz sawyer]

I don't know what your plans are for the wood but it is great for hand carving. You might check to see if there are any woodcarvers in your area.

 

[zogger]

I agree, I'm not going to rush out in a panic. I've known it was hollow for some time, and they are known to do that. All that heartwood did not go away quickly, so it's probably been hollow for the 11+ years we've been here. It's survived the Halloween storm and Hurricane Sandy, as well as the many bouts of severe storms we get regularly these days. Also, we had most of the large branches over the house removed some years ago.

Still, they are not supposed to live that long nor get that big. Everything has it's limits.

Supposedly it will resprout from the stump. I don't know that for a fact, never cut one down.

 

[Chris-PA]

Supposedly it will resprout from the stump. I don't know that for a fact, never cut one down.

I can believe that, as catawbas are early adopters in disturbed areas - they're pretty tough and recover from serious damage. I'd actually like it to be just a little further from the house.

 

[steved]

We had HUGE trees around the cabin. I mean whoppers. The tornado changed my opinion of big trees, healthy or not, within striking range of where I live.

Yup, that's the same reason I won't let any tree get tall enough to touch my house if it would fall...the ice storm this past year left a lot of my coworkers and friends with tree-damaged roofs. Even the trees I've planted recently, I measured off the distance from the house so they would never touch it even when fully mature.

Personally, I'd cut it sooner than later, and plant something fast growing (hybrid poplar comes to mind).

The value of my house far outweighs any nearby tree. Its not worth the risk to me.

 

[Chris-PA]

Yup, that's the same reason I won't let any tree get tall enough to touch my house if it would fall...the ice storm this past year left a lot of my coworkers and friends with tree-damaged roofs. Even the trees I've planted recently, I measured off the distance from the house so they would never touch it even when fully mature.

Personally, I'd cut it sooner than later, and plant something fast growing (hybrid poplar comes to mind).

The value of my house far outweighs any nearby tree. Its not worth the risk to me.

Well, we all have different views of acceptable risks, and evaluate risk/benefit and value differently. To me a shade tree over the house is a necessary part of the heating & cooling system of a dwelling - an automatically deploying summer heat shield. For me shade trees are also a requirement to make it a place I would wish to live in, and an essential part of what I consider the "value" of the home.

 

[Cheesecutter]

Plant a couple trees a little farther from the house. Hybrid poplar for fast shade and oak for 20 years down the road .

 

[Saddle Mander]

"Right next to your house"??

If it was any closer it would be in your living room!!!

(But great tree and great house.)

 

[Chris-PA]

Plant a couple trees a little farther from the house. Hybrid poplar for fast shade and oak for 20 years down the road .

I don't see the need for a hybrid anything - tulip trees and catawbas grow very fast. I have tons of oaks and tulips, and the catawba is more interesting and unusual even though they are a native species. Those huge leaves are a PITA when they come down, but provide very good shade. I've got quite a few small ones around in the woods, so I might be able to dig one out with the back hoe and get a couple years head start.

"Right next to your house"??

If it was any closer it would be in your living room!!!

(But great tree and great house.)

Yeah, that sure is closer than I would like it - but it's an old mistake! If not for that I would want to see if it pushed up any shoots from the stump.