Sacred Angel Oak ~ Quercus virginiana
Twig Largess is quite busy traveling through the Southeast, taking inventory and tree surveys of the recent damage from Hurricaine Matthew. While in South Carolina he had the chance to stop and visit the Sacred Angel Oak in Charleston. This oak is estimated to be over 500 years old with ancient outstretched boughs and a canopy extending nearly 2000 square yards. This fairytale-esque tree is a live oak, which are known for their majestic canopies rather than their stature. This Southern live oak has survived a number of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and human interference. It continues to grow, as branches reach in every direction with some plunging underground and back up again. It is a powerful force to behold!
The tree’s allure is both natural and cultural. The name angel was given to the tree not because of it’s mystical quality, but because the land which it sits was last owned by Martha and Justus Angel. The owners of the estate were African American slave owners, and it is said that the ghosts of these former slaves appeared around the tree as angels.
If you are in the Charleston, SC area, this enchanting tree is a must see!
