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Last Modified: 4/23/2009
Kentucky Champion Tree Program
Find out if you have a state or national champion tree near your home.

In 1940, the American Forests organization began a search of 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. Ten Kentucky champions have been nominated as national champions or co-champions.
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 99 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 champion 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.
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, river |
Perry |
121 |
121 |
77.5 |
261.3 |
|
Birch, sweet |
Bell |
111 |
113 |
53.5 |
237.38 |
|
Birch, yellow |
Harlan |
156 |
97 |
62 |
268.50 |
|
Blackhaw |
Hopkins |
45 |
23 |
25.25 |
74.10 |
|
Buckeye, Ohio |
Lewis |
95 |
68 |
45.5 |
174.00 |
|
Buckeye, red |
Boone |
32 |
19 |
17 |
55.25 |
|
Buckeye, yellow |
Casey |
151 |
148 |
48 |
311.00 |
|
Butternut |
Breathitt |
102 |
91 |
73 |
211.25 |
|
Catalpa, northern |
McLean |
234 |
79 |
65.5 |
329.38 |
|
Cherry, black |
Hardin |
187 |
91 |
75 |
296.75 |
|
Chestnut, American |
Adair |
128 |
47 |
54.5 |
188.63 |
|
Coffeetree, Kentucky |
Jefferson |
120 |
105 |
48 |
237.00 |
|
Cottonwood, eastern |
McCracken |
233 |
148 |
92 |
404.00 |
|
Cottonwood, swamp |
Ballard |
87 |
97 |
71.5 |
201.87 |
|
Dogwood, flowering |
Warren |
79 |
38 |
48.5 |
129.13 |
|
Elm, American |
Lee |
229 |
127 |
104 |
382.00 |
|
Elm, slippery |
Clay |
205 |
130 |
89.5 |
357.38 |
|
Elm, winged |
Green |
51 |
84 |
32 |
143.00 |
|
Fringetree |
McCracken |
45 |
30 |
32.5 |
83.13 |
|
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 |
58.5 |
231.63 |
|
Hickory, mockernut |
Leslie |
65 |
153 |
53 |
231.25 |
|
Hickory, pignut |
Allen |
171 |
148 |
142 |
354.50 |
|
Hickory, shagbark |
Floyd |
136 |
95 |
90 |
253.50 |
|
Hickory, shellbark |
Greenup |
175 |
139 |
80 |
334.00 |
|
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 |
109.00 |
|
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 |
166.9 |
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 |
424.00 |
|
Maple, striped |
Harlan |
34 |
45 |
52 |
92.00 |
|
Maple, sugar |
Letcher |
124 |
151 |
75.1 |
293.78 |
|
Mulberry, red |
Grayson |
123 |
43 |
92 |
189.00 |
|
Mulberry, white |
Bell |
202 |
28 |
54.5 |
243.63 |
|
Oak, black |
Boyd |
222 |
105 |
112 |
355.00 |
|
Oak, blackjack |
Warren |
135 |
63 |
76 |
217.00 |
|
Oak, bur |
Woodford |
287 |
104 |
83 |
414.25 |
|
Oak, cherrybark |
Carlisle |
283 |
100 |
100 |
408.00 |
|
Oak, chestnut |
Johnson |
198 |
97 |
91 |
317.75 |
|
Oak, Chinkapin |
Harrison |
311 |
76 |
69 |
404.25 |
|
Oak, northern red |
Boone |
236 |
109 |
84 |
366.00 |
|
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 |
377.00 |
|
Oak, swamp chestnut |
Jefferson |
238 |
125 |
108 |
390.00 |
|
Oak, swamp white |
Nelson |
223 |
90 |
100 |
338.00 |
|
Oak, water |
Marshall |
195 |
94 |
102.5 |
314.63 |
|
Oak, white |
Letcher |
181.5 |
147 |
80.4 |
348.61 |
|
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 |
135 |
75 |
70 |
227.50 |
|
Pecan |
Trigg |
270 |
124 |
124.5 |
425.13 |
|
Persimmon |
Harlan |
73.2 |
51 |
46.5 |
135.83 |
|
Pine, eastern white |
Edmonson |
143.2 |
128 |
47.5 |
283.16 |
|
Pine, loblolly |
Hart |
163.5 |
71 |
66 |
251.00 |
|
Pine, pitch |
Magoffin |
150 |
85 |
67 |
251.75 |
|
Pine, shortleaf |
Martin |
96 |
108 |
48 |
216.00 |
|
Pine, Virginia |
Perry |
78.5 |
92 |
53.5 |
183.87 |
|
Poplar, yellow |
McCreary |
217 |
178 |
99 |
419.75 |
|
Redbud, eastern |
Fayette |
86.4 |
25 |
31.4 |
119.25 |
|
Redcedar, eastern |
Ohio |
124 |
72 |
38 |
205.50 |
|
Sassafras |
Daviess |
270.5 |
77 |
67 |
364.25 |
|
Serviceberry, downy |
McCreary |
78 |
67.5 |
34.5 |
154.13 |
|
Silverbell, Carolina |
Jefferson |
130 |
72 |
60 |
217.00 |
|
Sourwood |
Bell |
55 |
80 |
43 |
145.75 |
|
Sugarberry |
Fayette |
166.32 |
70 |
70 |
253.82 |
|
Sumac, shining |
Bullitt |
29 |
35 |
24 |
70.00 |
|
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 |
190.9 |
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 Champion 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 champion tree identification and measuring. Contact the district office that serves your county.
How to Measure Your Champion Tree
Circumference: The tree's trunk should be measured at a point four and one-half feet above the base of the tree (referred to as the diameter at breast height or dbh). 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 1 inch equals 4 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 county 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.
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DNR Division of Forestry 627 Comanche Trail Frankfort, KY 40601 Phone: 502-564-4496 Fax: 502-564-6553 E-mail: Diana.Olszowy@ky.gov
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