Angel Oak Tree - Charleston, South Carolina

Angel Oak Tree in Charleston, SC, is thought to be one of the oldest living oak trees east of the Mississippi River. It stands 65 feet tall, is 28 feet in circumference, and an area of 17,000 square feet is shaded by its large branches.

Estimated to be 400-500 years old, this Southern live oak has survived a number of hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. It was damaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 but recovered and continues to grow.

Southern live oaks are native to the lowland country of the coastal Carolinas. They tend to grow more outward than upward but, due to its age, the Angel Oak has done both. Its branches reach in all directions, with some driving underground and then growing back up above the surface.