Find out if you have a state or national Big Tree Champion near your property.

In 1940, the American Forests organization began a search for the largest specimen of each species of American trees. This list, now called the National Registry of Big Trees, contains the names of more than 750 species. Thirteen Kentucky champions have been nominated as national champions or co-champions.                    

Kentucky's National Champions

Species	County	Circumference (inches)	Height (feet)	Spread (feet)	Total Points
American Sycamore	Montgomery	422	62	88.50	506.13
American yellowwood	Jefferson	214	73	67	303.75
Blue ash	Mason	154.60	120	66	291.10
Bur oak	Woodford	287	104	93	414.25
Chinkapin oak	Harrison	311	76	69	404.25
Overcup oak	Livingston	240	106	101.50	371.38
Pignut hickory	Allen	171	148	142	354.50
Pin oak	Bell	241	135	97	400.25
Sassafras	Daviess	270.50	77	67	364.25
Shellbark hickory	Greenup	175	139	80	334.00
Shining sumac	Bullitt	29	35	6	70

The Division of Forestry began compiling a list of state champion trees in 1968. The first list contained only 51 species. The current list, which is restricted to native and naturalized species, has 98 species reported. The list is continually changing as new species are added and former champions are replaced either because they die or a larger specimen is nominated. 

To see if there are any Big Trees in your area you can view a printable list of state champion trees by their common name or by the county of location or click on the tree species name below and see a photograph of the current champ.  Additional photos will be added when available.

Kentucky's State Champions

Species	County	Circumference (inches)	Height (feet)	Spread (feet)	Total Points
Ash, blue	Mason	154.6	120	66	291.10
Ash, green	Estill	203	154	58.8	371.70
Ash, pumpkin	Union	100	47	62.1	162.53
Ash, white	Jefferson	258	80	70	355.50
Aspen, bigtooth	Rockcastle	76	124	38	209.50
Baldcypress	Ballard	303	116	85	440.25
Basswood, American	Fayette	259	95	82	374.50
Beech, American	Hancock	163	116	62	294.50
Birch, sweet	Bell	111	113	53.5	237.38
Birch, yellow	Harlan	156	97	62	268.50
Blackgum	Franklin	144	108	66	268.50
Blackhaw	Hopkins	45	23	24.25	74.10
Buckeye, Ohio	Lewis	95	68	45.5	174
Buckeye, red	Boone	32	19	17	55.25
Buckeye, yellow	Casey	151	148	48	311
Butternut	Bell	97.5	80	81.4	197.80
Catalpa, northern	McLean	232	77	67.5	325.88
Cherry, black	Hardin	187	91	75	296.75
Chestnut, American	Adair	128	47	54.5	188.63
Coffeetree, Kentucky	Carroll	87	110	60	212
Cottonwood, eastern	McCracken	233	148	92	404
Cottonwood, swamp	Ballard	87	97	71.5	201.87
Dogwood, flowering	Warren	79	38	48.5	129.13
Elm, American	Lee	229	127	104	382
Elm, slippery	Clay	205	130	89.5	357.38
Elm, winged	Leslie	28	55	25	89.25
Fringetree	McCracken	45	30	32.5	83.13
Hackberry	Henderson	248	92	80	360
Hawthorn, downy	Fayette	35.5	24	24.32	65.58
Hawthorn, Washington	Fayette	28	20	19.75	52.94
Hemlock, eastern	Harlan	148	151	47	310.75
Hickory, bitternut	Woodford	107	110	58.50	231.63
Hickory, mockernut	Meade	78	94	50	184.50
Hickory, pignut	Allen	171	148	142	354.50
Hickory, shagbark	Floyd	136	95	90	253.50
Hickory, shellbark	Greenup	175	139	80	334
Holly, American	Bath	91	54	39	154.75
Honeylocust	Lewis	173	84	61	272.25
Hophornbeam, eastern	Bell	32	76	37	117.25
Hornbeam, American	Carlisle	44	54	44.5	109
Locust, black	Jefferson	144	100	39	253.75
Locust, water	Ballard	49	81	60.5	145.13
Magnolia, bigleaf	Bell	41	87	30	135.5
Magnolia, Fraser	Harlan	65	98	40	173
Magnolia, southern	Jefferson	165	50	58	229.50
Maple, boxelder	Johnson	166.95	74	98	265.45
Maple, red	Lawrence	210	99	73.5	327.38
Maple, red x trilobum	Knox	145	76	133	254.25
Maple, silver	Pulaski	297	102	100	424
Maple, striped	Harlan	34	45	52	92
Maple, sugar	Letcher	124	151	75.1	293.78
Mulberry, red	Grayson	123	43	92	189
Mulberry, white	Bell	202	28	54.5	243.63
Oak, black	Boyd	222	105	112	355
Oak, blackjack	Warren	135	63	76	217
Oak, bur	Woodford	287	104	83	414.25
Oak, cherrybark	Carlisle	283	100	100	408
Oak, chestnut	Johnson	198	97	91	317.75
Oak, Chinkapin	Harrison	311	76	69	404.25
Oak, northern red	Boone	236	109	84	366
Oak, overcup	Livingston	240	106	101.5	371.38
Oak, pin	Bell	241	135	97	400.25
Oak, post	McCracken	171	80	98	275.50
Oak, shingle	Jefferson	170	122	83	312.75
Oak, Shumard	Powell	286	120	97.5	430.38
Oak, southern red	Allen	249	102	104	377
Oak, swamp chestnut	Jefferson	238	125	108	390
Oak, swamp white	Nelson	223	90	100	338
Oak, water	Marshall	195	94	102.5	314.63
Oak, white	Logan	270	94	104	390
Oak, willow	Jefferson	225	115	86	361.50
Osageorange	Warren	281	82	88.5	385.13
Paulownia	Bell	124	65	112.5	217.13
Pawpaw	Franklin	36	60	26	102.50
Pear	Leslie	128	62	60	205
Pecan	Trigg	270	124	124.5	425.13
Persimmon	Harlan	73.2	51	46.5	135.83
Pine, loblolly	Hart	163.5	71	66	251
Pine, pitch	Magoffin	150	85	67	251.75
Pine, shortleaf	Martin	96	108	48	216
Pine, Virginia	Grayson	67	101	32	176
Poplar, yellow	McCreary	217	178	99	419.75
Redbud, eastern	Fayette	86.4	25	31.4	119.25
Redcedar, eastern	Ohio	123	73	52	209
Sassafras	Daviess	270.5	77	67	364.25
Serviceberry, downy	McCreary	78	67.5	34.5	154.13
Silverbell, Carolina	Jefferson	130	72	60	217
Sourwood	Bell	55	80	43	145.75
Sugarberry	Fayette	166.32	70	70	253.82
Sumac, shining	Bullitt	29	35	24	70
Sweetgum	Fulton	152	130	78	301.50
Sycamore, American	Montgomery	422	62	88.5	506.13
Tree-of-Heaven	Hardin	159	44	47	214.75
Tupelo, water	Ballard	184	86	94	293.50
Walkingstick, Devils	Bell	15	33	3.1	51.12
Walnut, black	Green	190.91	94	92.5	308.04
Willow, black	Fulton	125.5	107	44	243.50
Yellowwood, American	Jefferson	214	73	67	303.75

Do you have a Kentucky Big Tree on your Property?

To nominate a tree, the species must first be identified and measured properly. An electronic photograph of the tree and GPS coordinates are required and must be submitted with each nomination.  Foresters are available to assist with your big tree identification and measuring. Contact the district office that serves your area.

        How to Measure Your Big Tree

Circumference: 
The tree's trunk should be measured at a point four and one-half feet above the base of the tree.  If there is a branch or growth that prohibits measuring at this point, measure a point just below the branch or growth.

Height:
An estimation of height can be made using a yardstick. First, measure 100 feet from the tree.  Next, hold the yardstick vertically, 25 inches from the eye.  Align the zero inch mark on the yardstick at the base of the tree and note the inch mark that aligns with the top of the tree.  Every inch equals four feet. 

Crown:
 To determine a tree's average crown-spread you must first find the points in the tree's crown that are widest and narrowest. These points must then be marked on the ground. Walk underneath the tree and visually assess where the tree's branches extend the farthest from the trunk. Drive a stake into the ground directly beneath this point. Following a line directly through the center of the tree's base, find the opposite side of the crown's widest point, stand directly beneath the outer edge of it and drive a second stake into the ground. Next, you must determine the narrowest spread in the tree's crown. Find where the outer edge of the crown's branches are closest to the bole, stand directly beneath this point and drive a stake into the ground. Do the same as before and find the opposite side of the crown, and drive a second stake to mark it. Measure the number of feet between the stakes marking the crown's widest dimension and write it down. Measure the number of feet between the stakes marking the crown's narrowest dimension. Add the two numbers together, divide by two, and the result is the tree's average crown-spread.

Total Your Points:
Add together the points for the tree's circumference (inches) points, height (feet) points and one-quarter of the average crown-spread. The result is your tree's total points (circumference points + height points + one-quarter of the average crown-spread points = total points).  

                Circumference                                        Total Inches   ________

                     Height                                                                  Feet     ________

                    Average crown-spread (divide by four)        Feet     ________

                                                                        Total Index Points       ________

Example: Sugar maple - 120 inches in circumference + 80 feet tall + average crown spread of 60 feet.

     Circumference (in inches):  120
     Height (in feet):  80
     Average Crown Spread (in feet)/4: 60/4 = 15
     Total Index Points: 215
    

After determining your final points contact the district office that serves your area and arrangements will be made for a forester to certify your results and submit your nomination.  

If you have questions or need additional information, contact Diana Olszowy at 800-866-0555.