The New Illinois Big Tree Register
by Jay C. Hayek
Selected Illinois’ Big Tree Champions
| Species | County | Nominator(s) | Circumference (ft.) | Height (ft.) | Spread (ft.) | Total points* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Illinois’ National Champion Trees |
||||||
| Fireberry hawthorn | DuPage | Edith Makra |
1.3
|
10
|
20
|
30
|
| Pear hawthorn | Pope | L. Stritch and S. Grigoroff |
1.9
|
20
|
25
|
49
|
| Kansas hawthorn | DuPage | Edith Makra and K. Kim |
3.0
|
16
|
40
|
62
|
| Broadleaf hawthorn | DuPage | Edith Makra |
4.3
|
23
|
34
|
83
|
| Black cherry | Perry | Maurice O’Keefe |
15.6
|
112
|
78
|
319
|
| Shumard oak | Union | Larry Mahan |
27.7
|
96
|
96
|
452
|
The Elite Club (over 500 points) |
||||||
| Sycamore | Christian | Larry Mahan |
31.0
|
119
|
134
|
525
|
The Platinum Club (400 to 499 points) |
||||||
| Baldcypress | Pulaski | Jack White and CCTSCR |
34.3
|
73
|
35
|
493
|
| Cottonwood | Henderson | D. Vaughn and B. McVey |
24.6
|
133
|
113
|
456
|
| Shumard oak | Union | Larry Mahan |
27.7
|
96
|
96
|
452
|
The Gold Club (350 to 399 points) |
||||||
| Cherrybark oak | Johnson | Bill Reynolds |
22.6
|
100
|
113
|
399
|
| Bur oak | Union | Larry Mahan |
23.4
|
90
|
104
|
397
|
| Bur oak | Wabash | Larry Mahan |
21.6
|
101
|
133
|
393
|
| Silver maple | Macoupin | Larry Mahan |
22.9
|
81
|
94
|
379
|
| Silver maple | Sangamon | Larry Mahan |
22.3
|
88
|
82
|
376
|
| White ash | Sangamon | Master Gardeners, Sangamon–Menard Co. |
21.8
|
90
|
95
|
375
|
| Northern red oak | Pope | C. Stalions and L. Stritch |
15.6
|
165
|
87
|
374
|
| Chinkapin oak | Union | Jerry Garver |
19.3
|
120
|
78
|
371
|
| Water tupelo | Pulaski | Jack White and CCTSCR |
22.4
|
84
|
44
|
364
|
| Black willow | McHenry | Eunice Kurtz |
22.0
|
68
|
97
|
356
|
| Southern red oak | Johnson | Bill Smith |
19.5
|
90
|
126
|
356
|
| Yellow-poplar | Scott | William Darte |
21.1
|
82
|
83
|
356
|
| Green ash | DeWitt | Kelly and Debbie Howry |
20.3
|
88
|
92
|
355
|
| White oak | Putnam | James Ream |
22.2
|
63
|
94
|
353
|
Illinois’ Smallest Champion |
||||||
| Carolina buckthorn | Monroe | Guy Sternberg |
1
|
15
|
12
|
30
|
*Total points are determined by adding the circumference in inches, the total height in feet, and 25% of the average crown spread in feet.
| Illinois’ tallest tree: | Northern red oak (about 165 ft.), Pope County |
| Illinois’ largest circumference tree: | Baldcypress (34.3 ft.), Pulaski County |
| Illinois’ widest average crown spread: | Sycamore (134 ft.), Christian County |
| Illinois county with most champions: | Sangamon (8) |
