Hooker Oak was an extremely large valley oak tree Quercus lobata in Chico, California. The tree fell in , and portions of it were later milled for use by local artisans. Upon first seeing the tree in , Hooker declared the tree to be the largest of its species in the known world. On January 7, , the Sacramento Bee reported that in the Hooker Oak was over ft 34 m tall and estimated that 7, people could stand under its canopy assuming 2 sq ft 0.
When it fell on May 1, , it was nearly a hundred feet tall 30 m and at eight feet 2. The largest branch measured feet 34 m from trunk to tip and the circumference of outside branches was nearly five hundred feet m.
Its age had been estimated at a thousand years, but on its demise it was found to be two trees, of years each which had long ago grown into one. For three years after falling, the tree lay on the ground whist city leaders struggled to determine its fate. In the spring of the City of Chico commissioned Cal Oak Lumber Company to remove and reclaim sound portions of the tree at Cal Oak's Oroville hardwood plant; they were allowed to retain some of the wood as compensation.
Cal Oak set up a program using local artisans as well as the work training centers for the handicapped to produce a limited number of artistically designed items from its share of the tree. The Royal Botanical Gardens also received acorns from the original tree in and planted them in their gardens.
The wood turned out to be as remarkable as was the tree. In order to support its immense crown, the tree grew an abnormal portion of support wood on the upper side of its limbs and stems.
