06 – Burl Tree

How to Find Witness Tree 06

Witness Tree 06 stands directly opposite the Pegram’s Battalion tablet, on the west side of West Confederate Avenue. It is distinguished by a large burl – a benign growth – on the west side of its trunk at face-height. Someone long ago also placed a support wire, connecting two branches together to keep the tree from coming apart, into the crown, about 40 feet or so above the ground.

Witness Tree 06 Statistics

Tree Species: white oak
Circumference 2024: 104.5”
Diameter: 33.5”
Estimated age: 220-240 years
Estimated diameter in 1863: 10-11”

<–go to Witness Tree B               go to Witness Trees 07 & 08 –>

Then-and-Now Comparison

The sole then-and-now comparison in which Witness Tree 06 can be found is the 1900s colorized postcard from the Rotograph Company, an image which also gave us Witness Tree 01 and Witness Tree 05.

The photographs shown are directed towards the south. Witness Tree 06 is thus on the right, or west, side of West Confederate Avenue. Label “A” directs your attention to the manner in which the tree’s trunk curves to the right, starting about 30 feet above ground level.

Label “B” marks the well-known white oak trees which stand along the avenue. In fact, a century ago, the trees were right on the road. Today, the same trees have been graced with a patch of grass of their own on which to thrive.

The closest tree on the road (directly above the “B”) is no longer extant; however, two large white oaks remain at this spot: Witness Trees 07 and 08.

Witness Tree 09, a pignut hickory, also appears in these images.

Other Photos

Make sure to scroll through the photographs below to see some other interesting features of Witness Tree 06!

Feature #1: A large benign growth called a “burl” dominates the south side of the trunk. This burl grows at eye-level.

Feature #2: About 40 feet or so above the ground, someone once upon a time installed a support wire into the crown of the tree; the wire holds the two main branches together, helping the tree to keep from splitting apart.

Feature #3: About 20 feet off the ground, where the trunk splits into two stems, or branches, a small knot in the shape of a dog’s head lies at the notch.

<–go to Witness Tree B               go to Witness Trees 07 & 08 –>