Just like human beings, trees also grow old and die. The only difference between the two is that humans’ ages are visible physically. If you see a person with wrinkles, you can tell that he or she is starting to get old but how about the trees? How can you determine the age of a tree if it’s already old and dying?
Using invasive methods, the age of the tree can be determined in either counting the growth rings of severed tree stumps or by using an increment borer. But put in mind that if you want to be at least confident of knowing the age of the tree, you need a professional arborist to help you with it.
There is also a noninvasive way of determining the age. Growth rates of trees vary according to their species. Take for example a shagbark hickory with a 10 inch diameter can be determined as 75 years of age while an oak tree with still the same diameter can only be 40 years of age.
There are different factors that contribute to trees’ fast or slow growth. The conditions such as water and availability of climate, soil condition, root stress, light competition and the overall plant vigor, are all factors to be able to determine the age of trees.
There are also tree aging formula that are useful to professionals to determine the tree’s age and status. Still, the diameter is the most common way to know the age of a tree.
As for the trees found in your backyard or front yard, without the help of an arborist, you can at least ask your parents about the story of the tree or even neighbors who are already of age then know the specie of the tree so that you will know the maximum life of it.