by KIM HILSENBECK
An old oak tree stands in the Kyle Cemetery, its leaves and branches struggling to survive. Like many live oak trees in Central Texas, the prolonged drought has taken its toll.
But this tree is a bit different. It’s the “Hanging Tree,” which lore and legend say is how the cemetery began in 1849, according to Kyle Cemetery Association President Jane Kirkham.
Kirkham said the tree was just not doing well; it didn’t produce acorns last year. Today, the tree is under the care of arborist Vincent Debrock, whose runs Heritage Tree Care in San Marcos.
Debrock is a bit like a Tree Whisperer, nursing sick trees back to health. He takes care of many historic trees in Central Texas, from San Antonio to Georgetown.
In fact, he is the master gardener behind the saving of the “Auction Oak,” another locally famous tree in Kyle.
Under his care, the Hanging Tree is undergoing a steady process of mulching and deep root watering. He has refused to even trim the branches because it could crumble.
Debrock estimates the tree to be at least two hundred years old, qualifying it as what’s called a Heritage Oak – a designation based on age and size rather than specimen.
“Poor tree,” he said in a recent interview. It’s barely hanging in there.”
No pun intended.
A windstorm in February that produced damage around the region also wreaked havoc on the Hanging Tree. The wind caused two large limbs to break off the tree. Fortunately, they were not the main branches.
Kirkham is concerned the tree could create a situation where the tree could cause damages in the cemetery. She said Debrock suggested putting a fence around the tree, which would both allow it to heal and prevent human damage to the ground or root system.
According to Kirkham, the Kyle Cemetery Association is exploring the cost of fencing off the area under the tree. That is another expense, as with the need for Debrock, that wasn’t in the organization’s budget.
Kirkham said Kate Johnson, president of the Hays County Historical Commission, offered to ask that group’s board to share in the cost of nursing the Hanging Tree back to health.
On the bright side, Debrock said while the tree is in “very poor health,” he believes it is also a survivor.
“There are no signs of disease or bug attack,” he said.
He said he can do little things to keep it going; mulching and watering.
“Those will go a long way,” Debrock said.
