What Can You Tell from a Tree's Rings?

Hollis Homeowner Wonders

Tree rings, which can be seen when a tree has been cut, can tell the age of the tree. Light-colored rings show the wood that grew in the spring and dark-colored rings represent summer and fall growth. One dark and one light-colored ring indicate a year in the life of the tree.

A homeowner in Hollis, NH had recently hired Souhegan Valley Tree Service to remove a large oak from her property. After the tree was felled, she was curious about what the rings inside the tree represent.

Tree Rings Can Show What the Climate was Like

A tree’s rings can give you a good idea of how old the tree was, by counting the pairs. Trees are very susceptible to their climate and their growth is deeply affected by this. These rings can also offer a glimpse into the weather in the area throughout the tree’s lifetime. During years when the tree ring is wider, the weather was warm and wet. While thinner rings indicate a cold, dry year. These conditions impact the tree’s growth, which can be seen in diameter of the rings.

Other factors that can affect tree growth include years when the tree is plagued by insects, fungi or disease. The rings for these years will also show less growth.

Growth Can Vary Greatly from Year to Year

A tree’s growth is affected by a variety of factors, not the least of which is the species of trees. Other factors that can affect this growth include the moisture levels of the soil, air temperature and sunlight. When you see a very broad ring, this is indicative of a good growing year. You will also notice that a tree grows more rapidly in the early years. This growth slows to narrow rings as the tree gets older.

By looking at the rings of her tree, this Hollis homeowner was able to get a good understanding of the history of not only her tree, but the climate of her local area over the years.