The Oldest Love Tree in the Oldest City

 

I'm sure your first question is, "What's a love tree?" Well, that's not too tough to answer. Love trees are formed when two different species grow in the same place, interlacing their trunks and branches. They are particularly common in more humid climates, and the city of St. Augustine boasts seven of their very own love trees.

You can see here how the palm tree is growing inexplicably through the center of the live oak. Local lore actually says that if two lovers share a kiss beneath the branches of a love tree, they will be blessed with an everlasting romance. 

It can't be documented for certain that this is the case, but stories abound of couples who shared a kiss beneath one of these trees returning year after year to the same place on their anniversary to share another kiss below the boughs of the special tree.

Old Senator, shown above, is one such love tree. It is a live oak, intertwined with a palm tree. A live oak is not to be confused with a standard oak, as the wood is harder and, unlike a standard oak, a live oak is evergreen.

While this intertwining of two species is significance enough, Old Senator is estimated to be around 600 years old. Core testing by Ripley's Believe It or Not! indicated that the tree was, indeed, at least 600 years old. In 2016, Old Senator was measured to be 21 feet around and over 56 feet tall. Somewhat recently a limb was lost due to what's called "summer branch drop," but the tree is still standing and there are no plans to cut it down anytime soon. Summer branch drop, or sudden limb failure, is a phenomenon where a tree limb falls under its own weight for no apparent reason, most commonly happening in the afternoons on calm, hot summer days.

The tree is encircled with a fence, and sits in the courtyard of the Villa 1565 Hotel, though visitors are welcome to come see the tree and take pictures.

The trolley tour and the Red Train Tour through the old city also both stop through this parking lot to see the tree.

Legends and stories about the old tree swirl around among the locals, including the belief that it's lived so long due to its close proximity to the fabled Fountain of Youth. 

If you've never seen a love tree, you should check it out. I had never seen one until I went to St. Augustine, and I've seen a couple of the ones there in the city. Old Senator is a short walk from St. George Street and the City Gates, and for the price (totally free) it's pretty cool to see two different trees of two different species wrapped up together like this.

Old Senator Live Oak

Parking Lot of Villa 1565 Hotel

137 San Marco Avenue

St. Augustine, FL  32084