Oldest known cypress landmarked in Lafayette and St. Mary Parishes

 Oldest known cypress in St. Mary and Lafayette     Parishes discovered along Bayou Tortue

Bayou Tortue, bordering Lafayette La, is the boundary between St. Mary and Lafayette Parishes

Until recently St. Mary and Lafayette Parishes were among those for which know La Purchase Cypress trees  been landmarked-- those trees determined  to be older  than 219 years old-- alive at the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Last December we explored Bayou Tortue and were fortunate to find among  the scattered old growth two cypress on either side two cypress worthy of LPCL plaques, attesting they were "Alive in 1803" --based on ring counts of borings taken form the trees. 

On the Lafayette Parish (west) side of Bayou Tortue.about two hundred feet from the shore is a fine old cypress landmarked with LPCL plaque #75

Here's what we found regarding the estimated age of this tree:

Measured circumference 18'11"  six feet above base

Estimated trunk circumference above buttress: 16'6"   radius 31"

Boring: 7.75 inches  Rings counted: approximately 210 (very closely spaced)

Age calculation:

    7.75 inch boring / 31 inch radius = 210 estimated boring rings / x (estimated age)

    X = 810 years

Accounting for likely faster growth in the tree's earlier growing years (in the currently hollow inner section of the tree), we are estimating this tree at over 600 years old.  Plaque #75

                                                         *************************

A few minutes paddle futher north on Bayou Tortue from the oldest known cypress in St Mary Parish

is located on the eastern side of the bayou. A bit smaller than the Lafayette Parish landmarked cypress just upstream, it is nonetheless worthy of LPCL landmark status based on its projected age, as determined here:

Measured circumference: 15'6"   radius: 29"

Estimated trunk circumference above buttress: 14   radius 27"

Boring: 13.25 inches  Rings counted: approximately 267

Age calculation:

    13.25 inch boring / 27 inch radius = 267 estimated boring rings / x (estimated age)

    X = 536 years

Accounting, as usual, for likely faster growth in the tree's earlier growing years (rings further apart than thiose found on the boring) we are estimation the age of this tree at over 400 years old. Plaque #76

Below is a short video of this cypress

We should note that we are long overdue to visit a cypress near Duck Lake northwest of Morgan Cityin St. Mary Parish

that we are told has a 31' circumference. This could easily be an older cypress than the one landmarked on Bayou Tortue