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Big Trees

Big trees in the 国产原创 Arboretum

What鈥檚 a big tree?

What does it mean to be a 鈥渂ig鈥� tree? The and list use a point system based on three characteristics that make a tree 鈥渂ig鈥�: the circumference in inches + the height in feet + 1/4 the average crown spread in feet.

The biggest trees

Based on this kind of 鈥渟core鈥�, the library鈥檚 willow oak (2-1030) has a slight edge in the contest for the largest tree on campus. However, the margin of error in measurement is great enough that there is essentially a four-way tie.

  • If you park in the Wesley Place garage and walk to main campus, you pass the winning . It is on your left as you ascend the steps up to Library Lawn. [Note in 2018: last year this tree lost one of it鈥檚 major branches in a big crash that destroyed the railing of the stairs below. It has not been re-measured, but the loss of this branch may have reduced its crown spread to the point where it is no longer tied for first place.]
  • Not surprisingly, one of the four is the most famous tree on campus, , which is also possibly the only tree in the arboretum that . The Bicentennial Oak has a massive girth and is actually wider than it is tall, with a single branch that stretches 21 meters (69 feet).
  • Another is the , which stands in front of Godchaux Hall. It is well known to those who walk from Peabody to Main Campus across the 21st Ave.S. bridge. It is one of the tallest trees on campus.
  • The is in the Divinity School courtyard.

Seeing the big trees

A is under construction. You can take the tour now, although the descriptive text for each tree isn鈥檛 finished.

国产原创 this list

The primary criterion for inclusion in this list is that the tree has a diameter of 1 meter (40 inches) or more. The list also includes individual trees that are the largest known examples of their species, regardless of their diameter. Those trees are listed on bold type. If the tree has a web page, it is linked to the tree鈥檚 ID code. To see the location of the tree, click on the 鈥渓ocation鈥� link. In cases where the tree is near a road, Google Street View can be used to view the tree.

The list below includes many of the largest trees on campus and will be extended as more trees are measured. In particular, there are probably some large hackberries that need to be added. We are still collecting data on the height and crown spread and will update the list as we obtain that information. The list is ordered by points where available; otherwise, the trees are listed in order of diameter.

A more extensive public database is at .

If you are interested in knowing how old the trees might be, see

ID code species dia. (cm) dia. (in.) height (m) height (ft.) ave. crown spread (m) ave. crown spread (ft.) points* location notes
Quercus phellos (willow oak) 135 53 31.7 104** 29.3 96 295
Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak) 149 59 25 82 30 98 291 the Bicentennial Oak
Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) 146 57 28.5 94 21 69 291
Quercus falcata (southern red oak) 132 52 32 105 27.5 90 291
Ulmus americana (American elm) 125 49 31 102 30 98 281
Quercus phellos (willow oak) 154 61 23 75 18 59 281
Quercus phellos (willow oak) 117 46 32 105 26 85 271
Quercus shumardii (Shumard oak) 128 50 27 89 28 92 270
Quercus alba (white oak) 117 46 28 92 34.5 113 265
Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia) 134.5 53 25 82 17.8 58 263 second magnolia north of entry walk
Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) 123 48 29 95 17.5 57 262
Quercus rubra (red oak) 118 46 29.5 97 20.5 67 260
Quercus imbricaria (shingle oak) 114 45 30.2 99** 20 66 256
Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) 126 50 22 72 27.8 91 251
Quercus palustris (pin oak) 113 44 27.5 90 22.5 84 251
Fraxinus americana (white ash) 111 44 28 92 24.5 80 249
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) 118 46 26*** 86 21 69 249
Quercus rubra (red oak) 115.5 46 26 85 24 79 248 located on USN property but included for historical reasons
Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) 131 52 20 66 22.5 74 246
Quercus rubra (red oak) 106 42 28 92*** 26 85 245
Populus deltoides (eastern cottonwood) 110 43 27 89 20 66 241
Quercus shumardii (Shumard oak) 104 41 27 90*** 25.5 84 239 Big Al鈥檚 twin
Tilia americana (American basswood) 124.5 49 21 69 19.3 63 239
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 122.5 48 22.5 74 15 49 238
Quercus nigra (water oak) 120 47 20.5 67 21.8 71 234
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) 103 41 25 82 27.5 90 232
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) 94 37 27 89 29 95 229
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 120 47 20 66 17.5 57 228
Maclura pomifera (Osage orange) 124 49 17 56 20.8 68 226
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 114 45 21 69 18.5 61 225
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 118 46 20 66 16.5 54 225 has second 59 cm diameter stem
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 109 43 22 72*** 19 62 223
Ulmus serotina (September elm) 83 33 28.6 94** 20.5 67 218
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 110 43 18.5 61 18 58 211
Catalpa speciosa (northern catalpa) 111 44 18 60*** 16 52 211
Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 109 43 18.5 61 16 52 209 trunk splits just above measured height
2-1002 Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 106 42 19 62 17 57 208 Trunk splits into two at head height.
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) 100 39 18 59 23.5 77 202 鈥淕alloway鈥檚 ginkgo鈥�
2-461 Magnolia grandiflora (southern Magnolia) 107 42 15 49 15 50 194
Quercus muhlenbergii (chinkapin oak) 97 38 14*** 44 22.5 74 183
Quercus velutina (black oak) 115 45 only black oak on campus
Quercus phellos (willow oak) 106 42
Quercus rubra (red oak) 105 41
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree) 104 41
Quercus nigra (water oak) 101 40
Quercus alba (white oak) 100.5 40
Carya illinoinensis (pecan) 98 39
Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) 83 33 mistagged as Ulmus serotina
Sophora japonica (Chinese scholar tree) 75.5 30 20*** 64 16 52 171 former state champion
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) 74 29
Juglans nigra (black walnut) 72 28 18*** 58 19 62 163
Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia) 58 23 19 62 17.8 58 149 Trunk splits three ways just below breast height; would be over 200 points if measured below the split.
Zelkova serrata (Japanese zelkova) 60 24 state champion tree, planted by Bishop McTyeire
Aesculus glabra (Ohio buckeye) 54.5 21 former state champion tree
Aesculus flava (yellow buckeye) 51 21
Magnolia virginiana (sweetbay) 34 13 former state champion tree
Cornus florida (dogwood) 32 12 6.6 22 8.9 29 68 This tree is probably over 100 years old.

* Points are calculated according to the criteria used in the聽: the circumference in inches + the height in feet + 1/4 the average crown spread in feet.

** Measured in feet by the Civil Engineering CE-161 class in April 2014.

*** Measured students from the 国产原创 School for Science and Math. Measured value has asterisks.

Except as noted, English values are rounded conversions of the SI units. The diameter measurements should be quite accurate. The height and crown spread measurements are crude estimates and will hopefully be improved over time. Therefore, differences among trees of only a few points are probably not significant due to measurement error.

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