How old is that tree?

You are looking at the stump cut of a Southeast Missouri tree called the tulip tree. Tulip trees are one of Missouri's fastest-growing timber trees.

When tulip trees are left to stand and grow for several decades, they can grow into very large, valuable trees.

You can carefully count the rings on this log cut to get the age of this tree. As so often happens when a chainsaw cuts a tree, the saw leaves several diagonal marks across the tree rings. Beginning at the center and moving outwardly using a pointed object (such as a sharpened pencil), count each time you cross each dark circular ring. The number you arrive at will be a close estimate of the age of this tree.