Largest Tree

Largest Tree Transplanted
	WHO: Senna Tree Company WHAT: 17.67 m (58 ft) tall WHERE: Los Angeles, California, USA WHEN: January 20, 1994
The largest tree to be transplanted was an oak tree (Quercus lobata), aged between 180-220 years and measuring 17.67 m (58 ft) tall, 31.6 m (104 ft) wide (branch-span), weighing approximately 415.5 tonnes (916,000 lb) and with a trunk girth of 5 m (16 ft 2 in). "Old Glory" was moved 0.4 km (0.25 miles) by Senna Tree Company (USA) to a new park in Los Angeles, California, USA on January 20, 2004. Quercus lobata Quercus lobata, commonly called the valley oak, grows into the largest of North American oaks. It ranges over the hot interior valleys of California. Mature specimens may attain an age of up to 600 years. This deciduous oak requires year-round access to groundwater. Its thick, ridged bark is characteristic and evokes alligator hide. The Valley oak's felt-like deeply lobed leaves assist in rapid identification. The sturdy trunk of the Valley oak may exceed two to three meters in diameter and its towering stature may surpass 30 meters in height. The branches have an irregular, spreading and arching appearance that produce a profound leafless silhouette in the clear winter sky. During Autumn leaves turn a yellow to light orange color but become brown during mid to late fall. In advancing age the branches actually assume a drooping characteristic. Its pewter colored rippled bark adds to the attractive aesthetic of this species. Typically, leaves are five to ten centimeters in length and are roundly but deeply lobed. The leaf width is approximately one half its length. Each leaf is matte green with an underneath pale green appearance; moreover, the leaf is covered with abundant soft ciliae, yielding a velvety feeling. When a fresh leaf is rubbed or broken, an aromatic scent is exuded, evoking a forest odor. The wood is a dullish brown approaching yellow, and it has not been used extensively for milling. Over most of the range, acorns fall in October. A variety of mammals and birds harvest these morsels, notable the acorn woodpecker and the common grey squirrel[disambiguation needed]. They are so efficient in storing acorns for winter, that it can be difficult to find remnant acorns under the tree by January. The acorns are medium to dark brown and range from two to three centimeters in length. The caps are noteworthy as having deep stippling; moreover, the caps are found most often as singlets, but occasionally as doublets. Globular galls are frequently attached to limbs of mature specimens of Valley oak. These house the larval stage of small indigenous wasps. The valley oak is the only known foodplant of Chionodes petalumensis caterpillars. references: 1- en.wikipedia.org 2- www.guinnessworldrecords.com