ENTS,

I finally got back to remeasure and photograph an incredible Norway spruce on an estate near Asheville, NC built in 1865. I pruned this tree in 2002 or so and recall it being one of the greatest trees I have ever worked in. The tree strongly reminds me of the Sitka spruce I saw with Dr. Van Pelt in 1998. A dead limb I removed while pruning had ~120 growth rings- but were so tight there were certainly more. It is possible the tree dates to the completion of the original mansion.

Norway Spruce - photos by Will Blozan

Anyway, it is not the giant of Anders Run in PA but nonetheless is a potential NC State Champion tree. The current champion is 222 points and this tree racks up 240. Its stats are: 10’7” in girth, 102’ tall, and 42 foot average spread. It eloquently accents the old buildings with the drooping limbs and leaning trunk. It looks to be in great health although it did lose its top recently, probably from Hurricane Ivan in 2004. The estate has other great trees including a huge eastern hemlock with crazy reiterations on it. I hope to return and photograph it as well as some other fine trees.

Bill Hascher, Biltmore Estate Arborist is the one in the bucket truck. - photos by Will Blozan

After measuring this tree I went to the Biltmore Estate to assist a representative of CAMCORE in collecting seeds from Carolina and eastern hemlocks for planting in other countries. They aim to preserve a wide range of genetic material of threatened tree species for future restoration efforts. Here is their website: http://www.camcore.org/ . CAMCORE was there directly as a result of ENTS measurement activity at the Biltmore Estate. For those of you who do not know, the tallest known Carolina hemlock grows on the estate, passed by millions of people a year. I remeasured the tall tree (of course) and found it to be 114.1 feet tall. A nearby grove has the tallest documented planted eastern hemlock which I measured to 142.3’. The eastern hemlock was planted in the late 1890’s so it is around 110 years old. The Carolina hemlock is also a planted tree.

ENTS rules!

 Will Blozan
President, Eastern Native Tree Society
President, Appalachian Arborists, Inc.