Aging Bigtooth Maple

In western Texas, there are scattered, isolated populations of bigtooth maple in the Chisos, Davis, and Guadalupe mountains. In central Texas, isolated populations are mostly found in steep, sheltered canyons of the Edwards Plateau physiographic region.

• Annual growth rates of bigtooth maple were measured.
• Wood was very hard and could not be cored.
• Dendrochronological techniques or growth rings were counted to estimate tree age and growth rates.
• Plants ranged in size from 10 mm to 300 mm in basal diameter.
• Stem basal diameter increased an average of 2.16 mm/year.
• The largest tree measured was estimated to be 136 years old.

intact stem cross-section

stem with heart rot