Just learned a mature oak can move over 100 gallons of water a day

I was reading an old forestry study from the University of Michigan. It said a single big oak tree can pull that much water from the soil and send it up to the leaves. I always knew they moved a lot, but that number is crazy to picture. It really makes you think about the stress on roots during a drought. Has anyone else seen data that made you rethink how much work a tree is actually doing?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_craig1mo ago

Actually, that's transpiration, so the water mostly goes out through the leaves, not up to them to stay.

craig.brian1mo ago

So where does the water go then, @holly_craig?