Get to know some of North Carolina’s oldest native trees

1. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Found in Eastern North Carolina, Bald Cypress trees of our state are documented as the fifth oldest known non-clonal tree species in the world. They are also the oldest known wetland tree species in the world. One North Carolina Bald Cypress is estimated at over 2,600 years old and is found along the Black River in Bladen county. Bald Cypress trees are very hearty and mature trees that have rot resistant wood. Often growing up to 120 feet tall with 3-6 foot diameter trunks, these majestic giants grow in wetlands and provide important benefits to our ecosystem. 

Bald Cypress trees prevent flooding by soaking up significant amounts of water and prevent erosion with their impressive root systems. They also provide habitat for creatures such as catfish, raptors, and even bald eagles. Unfortunately, mature Bald Cypress trees are in decline due to their slow reproduction and threats which include demand for cypress mulch.

2. Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Eastern Hemlock trees, also known as Canada hemlock or hemlock spruce, are graceful evergreens, a part of the pine family and native to North Carolina. Found in the Appalachian Mountains, Eastern Hemlock trees provide unique habitat to many rare species, including the beautiful blackburnian warbler. Eastern Hemlocks do not reach “full maturity” until they are 250 to 300 years old, and they can live for 800 years or more. These trees have both male and female reproductive parts, and their pollen is carried by the wind onto partially open female conelets before they close and drop to the ground as seeds for new growth.

Unfortunately, the Hemlock wooly adelgid, a pest originating from Asia, has wiped out many hemlocks. Now, it is difficult to find an Eastern Hemlock tree not infested by the wooly adelgid and most Eastern Hemlock in North Carolina have died due to infestation. To make matters worse, climbing temperatures due to climate change will help the wooly adelgid migrate North, endangering even more Eastern Hemlock stands. Woolly Adelgid can kill an Eastern Hemlock in as little as four years, so it is crucial that we save as many as we can.

3. Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.)

Also referred to as yellow-poplar, Tulip Poplar reside in all places throughout North Carolina but grow particularly well in areas with moderately moist soil. Native Americans found many uses for Tulip Poplar, including making canoes and using the inner bark for medicinal purposes. Their perfectly shaped 4-5 cm wide yellow-orange flowers are receptive for pollination for only 12 to 24 daylight hours, relying on pollinators to help them reproduce.

Virgin stands of Tulip poplar which escaped the lumber boom of the 1920s tower over hikers in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville, NC as some of the oldest trees found in the state, some of which stretch to over 100 feet tall and more than 20 feet wide. These trees attract pollinators with their large yellow-orange flowers and provide the perfect nesting location for many North Carolina birds.

4. American Basswood (Tilia Americana)

Also found in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, American Basswood provides a large canopy over the forest floor. American Basswood can grow to 60-80 feet tall and 30-60 feet wide when mature. Found throughout North Carolina and especially in the mountains, American Basswood provides an attractive home for bluejays and other songbirds. They are also of interest to pollinators, including honeybees which enjoy the nectar from their flowers. 

Pollination lasts for roughly 2 weeks, attracting bees and flies to their flowers. Fruits are dispersed by wind, gravity and animals. Their fragrant bright yellow flowers bloom in late spring and their wood easily decays to create spaces for wildlife to nest. American Basswood is seen as a valuable tree for timber uses, so one of its main threats is logging.

5. Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Known for its rapid growth and long life, the Willow Oak is a native tree to North Carolina which can grow to be quite large. In recent years, a Willow Oak in Union County won a spot on American Forests’ National Register of Champion Trees as the second largest out of 4 nationally listed Willow Oak trees. It is native to the American southeast and can be found all over North Carolina. 

Willow Oak trees have both male and female reproductive parts, with male and female flowers in separate clusters on the tree, and seed production begins once the tree is about 20 years old. These massive trees provide shade and habitat for many animals and can often live long lives due to good resistance to many diseases and pests.

How to Help Save North Carolina’s Oldest Trees 

North Carolina’s oldest native trees are treasures and a part of our state’s natural heritage. Honoring our trees by allowing them to grow old not only benefits the surrounding plants and animals which call that tree home, but also adds to the natural beauty and pride of the diverse environment of North Carolina. 

Giant old trees such as the Bald Cypress, Eastern Hemlock and others listed above also store significantly more amounts of carbon than our state’s younger trees. North Carolina’s oldest trees are a climate change solution that we lose the second we chop them down.

Help save North Carolina’s oldest trees by calling on President Biden and the US Forest Service to protect them.