On 12/30/2018 1:31 PM, Sonny wrote:
As I understand, original trees or growth will sprout from root/trunk stock, but after about 5 years, the blight will kill them. The blight bug is in those areas, still. If this is correct, original growth is still available, but only when young.
....

Actually, it's not an insect but a fungus... Chryphonectria parasitica
was introduced into the United States from imported Japanese nursery
stock around the turn of 20th century.

Mortality is true for 99+% of all that have been found...these specific
specimens are almost unique in that they have shown resistance to the
blight which is why VPI guards their location so zealously, they're the
basis stock for their research into trying to breed resistance.

As said, the one or two largest were approaching 50-ft when I was there
in summer of '77 (we moved to TN in '78) and I've not been back since to
see what may have transpired.

They were quite remote but even around the particular specimens, most
other regrowth succumbed within a few years so it wasn't that they were
totally isolated; these few specimens, did, in fact, have some
resistance others didn't/don't have.

There are a few other random areas that a some other specimens have
survived for significant times altho I've not looked for details in at
least 20 years to know just what stature any may have attained by now or
if they still survive...

I don't even know for sure about the VPI ones altho one hopes...

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