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Editor's Picks

The oak tree in Skjomendalen © Gerhard Sørensen-Fuglem and Cecilia Piccirilli Bjerkeset
An oak grows north of the Arctic Circle in Norway
Website Editor | Aug 14, 2023
Unusual symptoms linked to phytoplasma infection in Quercus humboldtiii, Colombia © Eric Boa
Symptoms linked to phytoplasma infection found in Quercus...
Website Editor | Aug 06, 2023
quercus-leucotrichophora-iturraran.jpg
Different names are being used for one species.
Website Editor | Jun 20, 2023

Plant Focus

A small but mature Alabama sandstone oak producing acorns © Patrick Thompson
A Critically Endangered dwarf oak 

Pathfinder: the Last Prairie Sentinel

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Guy Sternberg

Published May 2016 International Oaks No. 27: 207–216

Abstract

“Trail tree” is a term used to describe trees that were purposely bent long ago as directional signs. As late as the mid-20th century, dozens of these bent trees still existed in parts of the United States. Most of the true trail trees in Illinois are now gone, but this cultural and natural heritage remains of interest to many people. Much speculative literature can be found about trail trees and how to distinguish them from trees bent by other causes. Trees that meet a series of standards can be considered likely candidates for trail-tree status. Those standards, and the story of one such tree, are presented here.

Keywords

trail tree, marker tree, pointer tree, thong tree