# size of oak tree root system?



## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Due to the brisk winds from the recent storm. We had a healthy ok get pushed over. I thought oak trees had a large root system. Anybody out there can school me on oak root systems?


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Wet area ? What kind of oak ? Found this:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/root-system-oak-trees-48319.html

L & O


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Liver and Onions said:


> Wet area ? What kind of oak ? Found this:
> 
> http://homeguides.sfgate.com/root-system-oak-trees-48319.html
> 
> L & O



It's a moist area. It's on the edge of a natural ravine so it's not standing water. I do not know trees so not sure the kind.


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Joel/AK said:


> It's a moist area. It's on the edge of a natural ravine so it's not standing water. I do not know trees so not sure the kind.


You can see the water pooled up under the root ball. The root system doesn't need to go deep. It gets all of the moisture it needs near the surface. From the leaves (round lobes) and the bark, I would say a white oak. Lots of nice firewood there though!


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Joel,

A few thoughts from an old wood cutter. I bet you already cut it out of the road. Next time before you start, cut a piece and set it under the main trunk to hold it off the ground. That Wild Cherry may be doing the job for you. Bet it has pointy leaves? If it does, it is a Black Oak (my guess) or Red Oak and very common for them to go over in a mucky area. Like Cedar said, great firewood! It splits with a maul like a dream! Don't pay to have that cut up!

Nice looking Deer hunting area!

old


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Fabner1 said:


> pointy leaves? If it does, it is a Black Oak (my guess) or Red Oak and very common for them to go over in a mucky area.


That's what I thought at first too. Need better pictures of the leaves but, those look like rounded lobes to me.


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

If round, of course, you are right! Sure are round in your closeup!
Doesn't have the typical mushroom shape a White usually has.

The bark doesn't look right for a White to me but I've been wrong before.

old


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Thanks guys. 

The roads been there for decades. The old owner had it logged about 25 years ago. 
Not paying anybody to cut it up, it gave me a reason to take a day off. Nice day to run a saw.


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

The leaf


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Red Oak


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

Red Oak times 2


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

BTW, last year we had a storm go through that blew a huge oak down. 
The root ball on that was 20' in dia and 8' deep. I ended up cutting the stump and the root ball fell back into the hole, sometime overnight. I didn't see any Ruby slippers sticking out from underneath the root ball.


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

FREEPOP said:


> BTW, last year we had a storm go through that blew a huge oak down.
> The root ball on that was 20' in dia and 8' deep. I ended up cutting the stump and the root ball fell back into the hole, sometime overnight. I didn't see any Ruby slippers sticking out from underneath the root ball.


Had similar experiences. Also had them fall back as you are cutting! You could get hurt!

old


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Fabner1 said:


> Had similar experiences. Also had them fall back as you are cutting! You could get hurt!
> 
> old


I've seen pretty good sized stumps stand up, I was prepared and actually wanted it to happen sooner rather than be a surprise when it happened


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## Fabner1 (Jan 24, 2009)

I had one of those damn Tree Of Heaven's (From China) growing in my side yard. It grew straight up rather than the usual multi trunk or Trident type trunk crap. My Son and I dug all around the root ball and hosed it down. We went in for lunch and when we came back out it was laying across the yard and into the garden! Glad it fell that way! You have to get the root out with those sunny beaches or they will grow right back. If you just cut them off, everywhere there is a root near the surface of the ground, a new tree will grow! Very unique aroma, kind of stinky!

Really invasive!
https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/plants/treeheaven.shtml

old


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## Joel/AK (Jan 12, 2013)

Got the tree off the road. We got roughly 24 ft of straight trunk back to my dad's sawmill that he has out there. 18" at the base, at 16' it was 15". Should make some nice planks. Rest is firewood. Thanks for the info.


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