how can you tell how old a tree is without cutting it?
150935
Yes she is quite right. They do core samples. For example, look at the tree ring laboratory at the University of Arizona (link below in references). This field is called dendochronology, and dating by counting tree rings is an important dating technique. \n\nIf one does not want to cut the tree down, then the age of the tree could be roughly estimated by its height and/or diameter, although obviously this depends strongly on the conditions in which the tree is growing and has been growing. If there are limbs that have fallen off the tree, these will also have rings on them, so one can see the growth of the limb since the limb formed, which will give some lower bound on the age. In some cases, runoff patterns around the tree and downhill from the tree can give some sort of estimate as to how long it has existed there, securing the ground from erosion. I would expect some of these methods to have fairly large error bars, however.
76497
Here in Argentina it is traditional to take the tree down on January 6th ("Día de Reyes") so the answer is yes.\nOf course, some years I'm lazy and I wait longer.
853493
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the method of scientific dating based on the analysis of tree-ring growth patterns. This technique was invented and developed during the 20th century originally by A. E. Douglass, the founder of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. The technique can date wood to exact calendar years.\n\nclick here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dendrochronology#Overview
846740
Bound's hubby here:\n\nWhile the above answers are very correct, there is one other option. If the slash marks vary in number, but not always there could be a hunter's trail markings that lead to their stand. The paint marks do not harm the tree and can be much more reliable than "cat's-eyes" (reflectors) and ribbons. \n\nGood luck.
40112
By and large, trees don't have absolute lifespans, as animals do. \n\nAccording to The Straight Dope, the most striking illustration of this is the bristlecone pine, Pinus aristata. A 1948 field guide noted that bristlecones reached maturity in 200-250 years, with "extreme ages of 300-375 years." Yet only 10 years later a researcher discovered a stand of bristlecones whose average age exceeded 4,000 years and in one case 4,600 years.\n\nOther examples are less dramatic but still instructive. Red maples live 80-250 years, American chestnuts 100-300, white oaks 300-600, bald cypress 600-1,200. These extremely broad ranges suggest that assigning a "life span" to trees is merely a statistical convenience rather than a reflection of an inherent limit. It would not be surprising (to me, anyway) if much older examples of these species were found.
985590
Hi..\n\nI remember when my mom bought a flocked tree year's ago.   They do well for about 3-4 years, but eventually do start to fade, turn yellow, and flake.   \n(giggling)  That is when they also bought little fake apples to hang on the tree...funny.. didn't know pine tree's grew apples.  LOL  Oohhh those were the day's.   \n\nGood luck with your tree hunting..
1128795
That depends entirely on the species of tree, where it is growing and what you want to use it for.\n\nMany tropical and subtropical hardwoods such as Pinus radiata are capable of growing to usable size within 10 years. Other species may take as much as 100 years.
1034851
Finally somebody in my tree! I've studied it. I agree. Good question.
186322
Come on people.  We are talking about forever.  Not hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousand of years! NO a tree could not theoretically live forever.\nNote to Stepheyne: Taking a limb off and starting a new tree IS cloning.
582308
The methusla tree, a Joshua Pine in Israel is said to be more than 3000 yrs old.  They keep exactly which one it is a secret though, so it's not plundered.\n-Duo
845671
You can core into the trunk and count rings. The tree won't be harmed.
77903
They don't actually "drink" when they are cut like that, they just postpone the bottom from drying out and becoming brittle faster, although it seems the water goes away and you have to refill it often, what is actually absorbed into the branches is very little, which is why there is shedding of needles. And check the bottom of the cut flat area for a slimy-like layer, it works like a bandaid, and less water will be absorbed.\n\nFor the tree to drink, they have to have "feeders" (which are the thinner webbings of roots attached to the larger roots) to absorb the water so it can then travel through each of the "rings" of the tree up to the branches. Even damaged roots won't "drink" as much if it is trying to repair itself from a surface wound,which is easily done by running a lawn mower over exposed roots of older trees that have too little soil around them.\n\nEach ring represents a season, you can actually tell how much water it got each year by the spaces between each ring, outter layers are the newest season
452490
If this is an old, old tree and is free of severe insect damage then you have a small fortune on your hands!  I suggest going to E-bay and sell to the highest bidder.
878603
When identifying trees, you will need to determine whether they are conifers or deciduous trees. \n\n--Gymnosperms are a taxonomic class that includes plants whose seeds are not enclosed in an ovule (like a pine cone). Gymnosperm means as "naked seed". This group is often referred to as softwoods. Gymnosperms usually have needles that stay green throughout the year. Examples are pines, cedars, spruces and firs. Some gymnosperms do drop their leaves - ginkgo, dawn redwood, and baldcypress, to name a few. \n\n--Angiosperms are a taxonomic class of plants in which the mature seed is surrounded by the ovule (think of an apple). This group is often referred to as hardwoods. Angiosperms are trees have broad leaves that usually change color and die every autumn. Oaks, maples and dogwoods are examples of deciduous trees. Some angiosperms that hold their leaves include rhododendron, live oak, and sweetbay magnolia.
855444
Wood doesn't survive well for 2000 years...
501266
How would we know without details?
496601
Would a tree falling in a forest that you could not see make a sound. if so how would you know?\n\nthat'll make yuo draw a blank!