Plumstead White Oak Tree

Photo courtesy of Carol Ann Gray

An enormous white oak tree near the Plumstead meetinghouse entrance was recently determined by an arborist to be 342 years old, placing it in the era of William Penn (circa 1684). The tree is vigorous and healthy, and even shows signs of having survived a lightning strike in its past.

The white oak is one of the most important and long-lived native trees in the eastern United States. They support an enormous variety of wildlife: their acorns feed squirrels, deer, wild turkeys, and woodpeckers. Their branches and foliage also provide habitat for insects, birds, and other creatures.