If you are seeing or hearing this, then either your browser/user agent does not support Cascading Style Sheets, or you have elected to turn them off.  You may see and/or hear immediately following this notice alerts regarding national security or the Amber Alert system that do not apply.  To see if these alerts apply, follow the links provided.  -Commonwealth of Kentucky
The national Homeland Security Advisory System's Threat Condition is currently red, meaning severe.  Check your local radio or television stations for up-to-date information.  You may also check the National Homeland Security website or the Kentucky Homeland Security website for more information.  -Commonwealth of Kentucky
The national Homeland Security Advisory System's Threat Condition is currently orange, meaning high.  Check your local radio or television stations for up-to-date information, or you may visit the National Homeland Security website or the Kentucky Homeland Security website for more information.  -Commonwealth of Kentucky
An Amber Alert has been issued.  Visit the Kentucky Emergency Management website for information.  -Commonwealth of Kentucky
Logo for the Kentucky.gov site.  By clicking this logo, you will be taken to the Kentucky state home page. KY Agencies| KY Services  
Left Agency Borderwww.forestry.ky.gov LogoAgency Name Image
Right Agency Border
Kentucky Unbridled Spirit-External Site
Get Adobe Reader
 
 
Last Modified:  6/28/2008
Kentucky's Big Tree Program

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

This is the state champion Cherrybark oak.

 

This is the state champion Cherrybark oak in Carlisle County.
 


Kentucky Big Tree Program

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.

Division of Forestry
627 Comanche Trail
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-564-4496
Fax: 502-564-6553
E-mail: Diana.Olszowy@ky.gov