Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy

OLDEST KNOWN CYPRESS IN  VERMILLION PARISH IDENTIFIED IN  PALMETTO ISLAND STATE PARK

                                      Video of Landmarked LPCL tree in Palmetto Island State Park

The Louisiana Purchase Cypress  Legacy Campaign is delighted to announce the discovery of the oldest known cypress in Vermillion Parish, found at the end of the canoe trail that winds through Palmetto State Park south of Abbeville. Location is on the left side of the bayou, just before the entrance to the Vermillion River and below the bridge and weir. Although most LPCL landmarked trees need a boat to get to them, this one is visible from the Park picnic area near the bridge (see map below) 

Here is what we found:

GPS coordinates: 29 51.880N  092 88.032W

Circumference: Approx. 14'6" at trunk;  radius: 28 inches

Boring length: 5.5"

Approximate rings counted: 68

5.5" boring / 28" radius = 68 boring rings / X (total estimated rings)

X = 368 projected rings

Projected age is around 275-300 years old, taking into account  likely faster growth during the trees earliest years-- years which typically don't show up in boring samples, since the interior layers have deteriorated, resulting in hollow trunks. The boring is somewhat unusual in its spacing of growth rings (see photo below)-- very slow growth  (closely spaced rings) are interspersed with widely separated rings (indicating faster growth) during some years.

Portion of 5.5 inch boring from Palmetto State Park LPCL landmarked
cypress, Slower growth seen in closely spaced rings on right; faster growth  in more
widely spaced rings at center and left section of photo.

We are proud to have awarded this fine old cypress plaque #77 and congratulate Palmetto Island State Park for its stewardship of what is currently the oldest known cypress in Vermillion Parish. Additionally, this is one of the most southerly located cypress found to be worthy of LPCL landmarking-- "Alive in 1803", significant because of both natural and made-made stresses on the health of cypress in coastal Louisiana, including salt-water intrusion and subsidence

With the addition of Vermillion Parish to the LPCL registry there are  now 24 Parishes in which cypress trees greater than 219 years old  ("Alive in 1803") have yet to be identified:

Allen, Beauregard, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Claiborne, E. Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Lincoln, Madison, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Red River, Sabine, St. Bernard, St. Helena, Vermillion, Vernon, W Baton Rouge, West Carrol

Please contact Harvey Stern at LaPurchase CypressLegacy@gmail.com with any leads. And to help pay for the plaques that are on many of our landmarked cypress throughout Louisiana, we welcome any donations to the La. Purchase Cypress Legacy-- a 501 C-3 non-profit organization. (EIN 83-2457520) Checks can be made payable to the Louisiana Purchase Cypress Legacy and mailed to Harvey Stern, 740 7th St., New Orleans La 70115