Hillsborough Tree Board Names First Treasure Tree

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A southern red oak has earned the distinction of the Town of Hillsborough’s first Treasure Tree.

The southern red oak (Quercus falcata) is on an empty lot at 406 W. Hill Ave. S. It is “remarkable because of its beautiful, open structure and unusually wide canopy,” wrote arborist Chip Hildreth, a member of the Hillsborough Tree Board.

The tree’s crown is 82 feet wide and reaches a height of 102 feet. The diameter of its trunk is 49 inches when measured at 4 feet above the ground.

The Tree Board thanks neighbor and tree lover Alex Williams for nominating the tree. The owner of the property will receive a Treasure Tree certificate from the board.

Southern red oaks are a relatively fast-growing species that often is planted for shade value. Some of Hillsborough’s largest trees are southern reds. The oak’s reddish, fine-grained heartwood makes beautiful flooring and furniture.

The Southern red oak’s leaves are typical of oaks but with distinctly bell-shaped bases, deep sinuses and three to five lobes tipped with bristles. In the fall, the leaves become a deep, rich red. Acorns mature at the end of their second year. The acorns are edible and a valuable food source for wildlife.

 Additional Facts about Oaks

  • Mature red oaks often have hollow trunks but remain sound with less than half of their volume.
  • Red oaks are a group of several species easily identified from the bristle tips on each leaf lobe. The white oak family has rounded lobes.
  • Oaks, in general, are a member of the beech family (Fagaceae) and are the only trees that produce acorns.
  • About 36 species of oak occur naturally in the Southeast; five are evergreen, and the rest are deciduous.

Treasure Trees Program

The Hillsborough Tree Board began the Treasure Trees program to create awareness of and to give recognition to the preservation of significant trees in the Hillsborough area. A significant tree may be on public or private land. It is recognized based on any of the following:

  • Historic connection
  • Beauty
  • Wildlife value
  • Exceptional size, age, shape or color

To nominate a tree, complete a nomination form, which is available on the Tree Board page of the Town of Hillsborough’s Web site. The Tree Board page is located under the Boards and Commissions page under Town Government.

A copy of the nomination form also may be received by contacting Public Works Supervisor Ken Hines by e-mail or by phone at 732-1270 Ext. 78. Hines is the town liaison to the Tree Board.