Fallen canopy trees average 60 cm (Magnolia fraseri) to 105 cm (Liriodendron tulipifera) dbh, and the canopy gaps created by their fall averaged 105 m2 in area for all species combined. The time spent in the understory by each species of replacement tree averaged 0 years (Liriodendron tulipifera) to 111 years (Aesculus octandra). These measurements of understory residence time may be useful in mathematical models of forest composition.