Hey Shastensis. The best T. occidentalis stands are in the eastern parts of WI, adjoining or near to Lake Michigan, and corresponding parts of Upper Michigan. Some WI counties to begin with are: Manitowoc, Kewaunee, Door, and Oconto (Where my land is).

The MI. counties of Delta, Menominee, and Alger are also well endowed with this species, as are others further to the east.

A couple spots you would enjoy are: Cave Point Cty. Park in Door County, Maribel Caves County Park in Manitowc Cty. and for some magnificent white and red pine and hemlock, Cathedral of the Pines a few miles north of Lakewood WI.

Any drive on back roads through the counties listed will reveal extensive stands of T. occidentalis. The largest of this species that I've ever seen are at the Maribel Caves park. Our state champ is near that park.

There are some large ones....lots of them actually.....in my woods and especially the parcel just next to us. You could conceivably hook up with me to visit this stuff....all just depends on scheduling, etc.

There is an island in Lake Superior, north of Munising MI. that is known to have had a severe forest fire about 400 years ago. This island is now heavily forested with much T. occ. So right there, we have 400 year old trees. Some of the specimens growing right out of limestone cliffs in Door Cty. are much older. In this case, these trees are not large, due to the trying conditions under which they live, but they are very old.

Let me know what's up. I'd love to help out.

+oM

Thanks, Tom!
I'd really love to see some large ones. I was thinking about going to South Manitou Island in Northern Michigan (largest measured T. occidentalis) but that is such a long drive and if there are closer ones that are in Wisconsin that can get that big I'd prefer to stay closer to where I'll be, anyway. How large is large? 3-5' dbh?

According to Gymnosperm database there are trees 1500 years + on the "niagara escarpment", as well as many on Lake Superior. I would love any in-depth recommendations you could give. Do you think it is still too early in mid-September for seed maturity in the cones?

Is there also Larix laricina in Eastern Wisconsin?

Thanks for all your help.

Hey Shast, in addition to my reply and email to you, I just noticed here that you ask about tamarack too. Yes, there are lots of these in eastern and northeastern WI. There are actually some good stands very near to Milwaukee, just twenty miles or so up highway 41. I forget the name of the wildlife area this is, but there are some good stands. This is not so much an outlier population as more of a remnant in an area that was apparently spared from agriculture due to high water table.

There are some very nice Thuja stands also quite far to the south, near the small city of West Bend in Washington Cty. That too is just north of Milwaukee. This same band extends all the way to Lake Michigan near the small town of Belgium.

You're really in the right area for the species you list in the eastern part of the state.

+oM

......and I somehow forgot that you asked about seed maturity in the Thujas. This is actually ongoing right now. The large arb in my yard is all but done shedding seeds while those up at my tree farm are just a bit behind this. So not too early but perhaps a bit late. There should be some around yet though.

+oM

The Sylvania Wilderness Area near Watersmeet, MI has old growth Tsuga canadensis and Pinus strobus that are quite large. Also, I've been told Marion Lake east of Watersmeet has large old growth Tsuga canadensis but I've not been there.

tj

Here is a link that might be useful: Sylvania

Tom, have you ever found any brooms in any of those Larix laracina? I am always looking for good brooms in these. Also there is a small native stand of L. laracina SE of Richland Center, Wi. I will be checking these for brooms this winter.
On the Tsuga canadensis, there are some along the Kickapoo River south of Ontario, Wi. Not many, but it is as far south west as I have found them.
Dennis

Hermi, I'm not really a broom hunter, so no, have never spied any on tamarack that I recall. And agree, your find of hemlock in the Kickapoo valley is about as far SW as that species goes. Very common in NE WI.

+oM

For Large Pinus strobus you might try Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary. It is in Michigan's Upper Penininsula in the Keewenaw area north of Houghton. I've not seen it, but others have told me about it.

Throughout the Upper Peninsula I've seen Thujas with roots that snake down and around eroding slopes. It is amazing to see that the trees can continue to live in such harsh conditions. I imagine that Wisconsin has similar areas but I haven't spent time hiking there.