MARYLANDS
TALLEST NATIVE TREE SPECIES
Stretching from bald cypress swamps on the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain to rare tamarack bogs on the Allegheny Plateau, Maryland provides varied habitats for numerous native trees. Approximately one hundred and forty species are indigenous to the state, including about twenty small hawthorns and a few shrubs that occasionally reach tree-like proportions. Although the nations first big-tree list based on a point system was devised in Maryland in 1925, the search for Marylands tallest trees is a recent endeavor. The following trees are the tallest of their species accurately measured in Maryland at this time. Some are unequalled elsewhere. Two tuliptrees at Belt Woods are the tallest trees ever recorded in Maryland, and are the tallest eastern hardwoods known outside of the Southern Appalachian region of Tennessee and the Carolinas.
Although this
study has concentrated on only three outstanding natural areas, a
number of trees of record height have been discovered.
The South Woods of the Belt Woods Wildland is a 43-acre
National Natural Landmark considered to be one of only two remnants
of old-growth forest in Maryland.
Chase Creek Woods has been logged in the past, but its rich
soils, deep ravines and varied ecotypes make it a significant site
for champion trees. Corcoran
Woods has large examples of species typical of the Mid-Atlantic
Coastal Plain. No doubt
additional champions will be found at other sites, but a limiting
factor common to all Maryland counties is the effect of repeated
logging, agricultural activities and development.
This has resulted in an extreme scarcity of old undisturbed
woodlands, and a consequent shortage of intact representative
habitats available for maximum height studies.
The following
examples of fifty-six indigenous tree species are growing in the
wild, and are of natural origin.
They have been carefully measured by members of the Eastern
Native Tree Society, using direct measurement or laser-based
techniques, principally a laser/clinometer (sine top triangle) plus
telescoping pole procedure. Direct
measurement is used for species under forty feet in height.
Additional laser-based techniques may be used in dense cover
and challenging terrain. Traditional
clinometer-baseline and similar-triangle methods have proved
notoriously unreliable and are not accepted.
Naturalized species are increasingly affecting the structure
of Maryland woodlands; therefore, eight examples have been added.
In the interest of brevity, and to facilitate height
comparisons, species are grouped by a combination of height,
taxonomy and habitat. Many
state co-champions, extinct champions and dates of measurement are
shown.
TULIPTREE
Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 159.9a 12 5.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/28/01 Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 159.6a 10 7.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 9/30/01 Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 157.6a 9 7.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 1)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/30/00 Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 154.6a 15 7.0 Rays Pond Ravine (P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 8/11/02 DOMINANTS - BEECH FAMILY (twelve species)Northern red oak Quercus rubra 144.4a 7 8.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 11/4/01 White oak
Quercus alba
143.7a
11 1.0
South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co.
Rucker
11/4/01 Black oak Quercus velutina 143.4a 14 2.0 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 11/4/01 Chestnut oak Quercus prinus 124.8a 5 6.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 12/22/01 American beech Fagus grandifolia 119.5a 10 3.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 12/22/01 American beech Fagus grandifolia 116.2a 6 4.5 Rays Pond Ravine (P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 8/11/02 Willow oak Quercus phellos 115.7a 10 3.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/10/02 Willow oak Quercus phellos 115.0a 9 10.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 Southern red oak Quercus falcata 109.7a 15 9.5 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 Pin oak Quercus palustris 109.6a 8 9.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/8/02 Scarlet oak Quercus coccinea 103.2a 7 6.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 8/8/02 Scarlet oak Quercus coccinea 100.9a 6 11.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/8/01 Scarlet oak Quercus coccinea 100.6a 6 1.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3) (P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/8/01 Swamp chestnut oak Quercus michauxii 95.2a 16 3.5 Patuxent River above Priest Bridge, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 9/30/01 Saul oak x Quercus saulei 49.2a 1 7.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 7/25/02 American chestnut Castanea dentata 49.1a 1 6.5 Broadneck Hill (C), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 9/29/02 American chestnut Castanea dentata 46.1a 3 4.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/14/00
DOMINANTS - WALNUT FAMILY
(five species)
Sand hickory
Carya pallida
137.4a
7 7.5
South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co.
Rucker
11/4/01
Pignut Carya glabra 124.1a 5 5.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 1)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/23/02 Mockernut
Carya tomentosa 118.1a
7 6.5
Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
5/10/02
Mockernut
Carya tomentosa
117.2a
5 11.0
Chase Creek Woods (site 1)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
5/23/02
Bitternut Carya cordiformis 115.9a 7 4.5 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/8/02 Bitternut Carya cordiformis 112.5a 6 0.5 Rays Pond Ravine (P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 8/11/02 Black walnut Juglans nigra 111.4a 5 11.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/14/01 UPLAND-LOWLAND TRANSITIONAL ZONES
(six species)
American sycamore Platanus occidentalis 132.3a 6 3.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 1)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/23/02 White ash Fraxinus americana 132.0a 8 5.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 1)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/30/00 Black gum Nyssa sylvatica 124.1a 6 5.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/28/01 Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua 120.9a 6 6.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/8/02 Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua 118.1a 6 3.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/28/01 Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua 115.6a 13 0.5 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 Red maple Acer rubrum 110.3a 7 3.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 2/24/02 Red maple Acer rubrum 106.9a 4 6.5 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/8/02 American elm Ulmus americana 95.3a 4 6.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 MID-SUCCESSIONAL HARDWOODS
(four species)
Black cherry Prunus serotina 116.5a 6 7.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/24/02 Black locust Robinia pseudoacacia 107.8a 6 4.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 12/16/01 Bigtooth aspen Populus grandidentata 99.5a 3 10.5 Broadneck Hill (C), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 12/16/01 Sassafras
Sassafras
albidum
93.7a
2 11.5
Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
4/8/02
Sassafras Sassafras albidum 93.1a 4 8.5 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/19/02 CONIFERS
(six species)
Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata 104.6a 5 8.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/1/00 (sc) Virginia pine Pinus virginiana 93.9a 3 7.0 Broadneck Hill (C), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 12/16/01 Loblolly pine Pinus taeda 85.0a 3 4.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 Pitch pine
Pinus rigida
84.1a
6 4.5
Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
1/29/02
Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides 79.3a 5 2.0 Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 3/22/02 Atlantic white cedar Chamaecyparis thyoides 77.0a 4 10.0 Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 3/22/02 Eastern redcedar Juniperus virginiana 55.9a 4 0.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 4)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 2001 LOWLAND ENVIRONMENTS (six species)Black willow
Salix nigra
76.8a
2 9.5
Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
5/15/01 River birch Betula nigra 68.4a 4 5.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/28/01 Boxelder Acer negundo 59.5 6 5.5 Chase Creek Woods (site3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 1/29/02 American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana 50.8a 2 11.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/10/00 Poison sumac Toxicodendron vernix 29.5b 1 5.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/12/00 (nc) Hazel alder Alnus serrulata 27.7b 0 8.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/12/00 (sc) WARM RICH UPLAND EXPOSURES
(nine species)
American holly Ilex opaca 69.3a 4 2.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
66.9a
2 7.5
Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co.
Rucker
4/19/02
Red mulberry Morus rubra 46.4a 2 5.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 2/13/01 Hackberry Celtis occidentalis 44.8a 2 5.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/14/01 Hercules club Aralia spinosa 39.1a 1 6.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/10/02 (sc) Flowering dogwood Cornus florida 38.2a 2 0 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/14/01 Pawpaw Asimina triloba 36.5b 1 4.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 2/25/02 Redbud Cercis canadensis 31.8a 2 2.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/4/00 Blackhaw viburnum Viburnum prunifolium 27.5b 1 4.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/26/00 SMALL ARBORESCENT SPECIALISTS (seven species)Spicebush Lindera benzoin 24.4b 0 9.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 (sc) Spicebush Lindera benzoin 19.0b 0 11.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/4/02 (sc) Winged sumac Rhus copallina x 22.0c 1 0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, A.A. Co. (tree d. ca. 1996) Rucker 2/24/02 Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina 20.4b 0 9.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 8/3/01 Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina x 32.9b 1 2.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, A. A. Co. (tree died 1988) Rucker 4/19/87 Downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea 19.7b 0 9.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/14/00 Whorled winterberry Ilex verticillata 18.5b 0 6.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/12/00 (sc) Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia 17.5b 0 9.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 2)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/14/00 Highbush blueberry Vaccinium atrococcum 16.8b 0 9.0 Corcoran Woods, Sandy Point State Park, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/10/02 (sc) NATURALIZED SPECIES
(eight species)
Ailanthus Ailanthus altissima 91.0a 5 8.5 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 4/30/03 Mazzard cherry Prunus avium 89.2a 6 4.0 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/7/01 Mazzard cherry Prunus avium 85.4s 7 3.0 United Methodist Church, Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 5/9/02 Paulownia Paulownia tomentosa 71.9a 5 0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 7/22/01 Norway maple Acer platanoides 59.3a 1 11.5 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 10/28/01 Bradford pear Pyrus calleryana 40.7a 0 10.0 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 11/4/01 White mulberry Morus alba 36.7a 1 7.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 7/24/01 Mimosa Albizzia julibrissin 24.3a 1 9.0 South Woods (NNL), Belt Woods SW, Prince Georges Co. Rucker 11/4/01 Althea Hibiscus syriacus 19.0b 0 8.0 Chase Creek Woods (site 3)(P), Arnold, Anne Arundel Co. Rucker 1999 (nc)
a - laser/clinometer (sine top) + pole measurement b - measured with telescoping pole c - direct measurement s - laser/clinometer (sine top) + pole, less triangle to pole top List compiled and maintained by Colby B. Rucker, corrected to May 2003. (C): County ownership (nc): National champion (American Forests, point system) NNL: National Natural Landmark (P): Privately owned (sc): State champion (point system) SW: State Wildland
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