I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. Joyce Kilmer

Links: Maryland Big Tree, 2012 Big Tree Report, Washington County Big Tree Slide Show, Maryland Big Tree Program     

American dogwood

Big trees inspire awe and admiration. Their immense, enduring presence invites us to consider the events they have witnessed, the lives they have touched. While almost all of eastern North America’s original forests have been removed, they remain as living reminders of a bygone era.

The Big Tree program began with Frederick W. Besley, Maryland’s first state forester, who compiled the “Noted Tree List” for Maryland in 1925. The list grew quickly and the search was extended to include the biggest specimens of trees of all species growing in Maryland (big or little.) The program soon became a national endeavor, and the search, measurement, and recordation of “big trees” continues to the present time.

Currently there are 137 species of trees with registered examples in Maryland.  A tree is defined as a woody plant having a circumference of at least 9.5” measured 4.5’ above the ground, and a height of at least 13’. The list includes trees that are native or naturalized, meaning that while not native, they can grow and reproduce on their own.

The current list of Maryland’s champion big trees, and much more, can be found at Maryland Department of Natural Resources Big Tree page. A complete list of eligible tree species and the list of current national champions can be found at American Forests’ National Big Tree Program. Information about the program, how to measure trees, how points are calculated, and nomination forms can be found at MDBigTree, as well as the two previous links.

There are many non-native tree species in Maryland, which are not considered naturalized. Some of these species can grow quite large, such as ginkgo, European beech, horsechestnut, English elm, and others. If individuals of these species are nominated, they will be measured and registered, but they are not eligible for championship status at the state and national level. They can be county champions.

There are many species of trees common to Washington County for which we have no registered example. These include white pine, chestnut oak, and many others. Below is a current list of our county’s big trees.  The ‘S’ denotes a state champion or co-champion, of which we have six. Pictures of many of these trees can be viewed on our Big Tree Slide Show. The list and the photo page are updated  at intervals as nomination and re-measurement of trees are made. We try to measure every tree at 5 year intervals. Our largest Kentucky coffeetree was once a national champion, but now, must settle for county champion. The change does not diminish its splendor.

Surely, there are many more splendid “big trees” in Washington County that await recognition of their awesomeness.

A List of Washington County Big Trees, 2012

Red oak acorns

Chestnut oak

Sycamore

American beech

White pine

Black oak acorns

White oak

Eastern redcedar

Red maple

Red oak

Silver maple

Pin oak

Black oak

Northern white-cedar

Sassafras

Chestnut oak acorn

Staghorn sumac

Black gum

Norway spruce

White oak acorns

Crabapple

Eastern redbud

Common Name

Ash, Green -S

Ash, Green

Ash, Green

Ash, Green

Ash, White

Ash, White

Aspen, Bigtooth

Aspen, Bigtooth

Baldcypress

Baldcypress

Basswood, American

Beech, Copper

Buckeye, Yellow -S

Catalpa, Northern

Coffeetree, Kentucky

Coffeetree, Kentucky

Cottonwood, Eastern -S

Cottonwood, Eastern

Cottonwood, Eastern

Cottonwood, Eastern

Fir, Nordmann

Ginkgo

Ginkgo

Hackberry, Common -S

Hackberry, Common

Hackberry, Common

Hackberry, Common

Hackberry, Common

Hemlock, Eastern

Hickory, Bitternut

Horse chestnut

Larch, European

Larch, European

Maple, Red

Maple, SIlver

Maple, Sugar

Oak, Chinkapin -S

Oak, Chinkapin -S

Oak, Chinkapin

Oak, Chinkapin

Oak, Chinkapin

Oak, Pin

Oak, Pin

Oak, Red

Oak, Red

Oak, Red

Oak, Shumard

Oak, White

Oak, White

Oak, White

Oak, White

Oak, White

Oak, White

Pawpaw, Common

Pawpaw, Common

Pine, pitch

Pine, Shortleaf

Sassafras

Spruce, Red -S

Sweetgum

Sycamore

Sycamore

Sycamore

Sycamore

Tupelo, Black gum

Walnut, Black

Yellow Poplar

Scientific Name

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Fraxinus Americana

Fraxinus Americana

Populus grandidentata

Populus grandidentata

Taxodium distichum

Taxodium distichum

Tilia Americana

Fagus sylvatica cuprea

Aeschulus octandra

Catalpa speciosa

Gymnocladus dioicus

Gymnocladus dioicus

Populus deltoides

Populus deltoides

Populus deltoides

Populus deltoides

Abies nordmanniana

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba

Celtis occidentalis

Celtis occidentalis

Celtis occidentalis

Celtis occidentalis

Celtis occidentalis

Tsuga caroliniana

Carya cardiformis

Aesculus hippcastanum

Larix deciduas

Larix deciduas

Acer rubrum

Acer saccarinium

Acer saccharum

Quercus muehlenbergii

Quercus muehlenbergii

Quercus muehlenbergii

Quercus muehlenbergii

Quercus muehlenbergii

Quercus palustris

Quercus palustris

Quercus rubra

Quercus rubra

Quercus rubra

Quercus shumardii

Quercus alba

Quercus alba

Quercus alba

Quercus alba

Quercus alba

Quercus alba

Asimina triloba

Asimina triloba

Pinus rigida

Pinus echinata

Sassafras albidum

Picea rubens

Liquidamber stryaciflua

Plantanus occidentalis

Plantanus occidentalis

Plantanus occidentalis

Plantanus occidentalis

Nyssa sylvatica

Juglans nigra

Lireodendron tulipifera

Circumference

15’5”

16’5”

13’3”

13’7”

13’4”

12’0”

6’8”

5’3”

8’1”

7’2”

11’6”

13’11”

13’3”

13’4”

16’11”

13’6”

17’2”

13’7”

13’4”

13’1”

9’7”

14’8”

13’4”

19’7”

13’6”

13’0”

11’4”

9’4”

6’3”

8’7”

12’4”

5’2”

5’7”

14’6”

16’3”

9’0”

14’10”

14’8”

14’11’

13’8”

12’10”

13’1”

11’1”

16’7”

15’8”
13’8”

8’3”

15’11”

16’6”

16’1”

15’10”

16’1”

11’9”

2’8”

2’8”

8’6”

6’0”

6’4”

10’4”

10’8”

21’4”

20’6”

18’0”

20’4”

13’6”

11’3”

18’3”

Pitch pinecone