So you want to see a “Big Tree” but aren’t sure where to start? After my previous newsletter article addressing this topic, several people have asked for more big trees! While hunting Big Trees for many years, I’ve had the thrill of finding several, including some State and National champions. To spread my love of big trees and to share my fascination with them, I have come up with a second short list of where to find some impressive specimens. The first location is here at the Landis Arboretum.
At Landis, you can find several large oaks. Starting at the Great Oak Memorial, you will find an iconic Quercus rubra (red oak) named “Big Red.” Follow the nearby Woodland and Ancient Forest Trail through acres of old growth forest and big old oak trees. Large oaks can also be found in the Bass Woodland.
While visiting Landis, you will also find a New York State Champion Aralia spinosa (devil’s walking stick). Though it may not look huge, this specimen was planted by Arboretum founder Fred Lape and now stands at 29’ with a 19” circumference. Another tree worth checking out is a Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood) that Lape planted in 1951. It’s easily accessible directly above the main lower parking lot. This large specimen was among the first dawn redwoods brought from China to the United States.
Venturing beyond the Arboretum:
In Central Bridge, you can view the New York State Historic Roadside marker describing the Daniel Webster Jenkins House. A majestic Quercus alba (white oak) stands in front of the home. Diagonally across from the home is a train track and another historic marker. Look beyond that marker to find another large oak.
At the New York Power Authority in Blenheim, there are several large oak trees scattered around the property. Although it’s a bit of a hunt to find them, they are publicly accessible and worth seeking out.
Travel to the city of Schenectady, where you can visit Jackson Garden at Union College. The garden is fun to explore and home to a distinctive Ginkgo biloba that stands at 88’ tall and has more than a 14’ circumference. There are also several other big trees on the campus, which was founded in 1795.
There are two large Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore) trees on Main Street in the Village of Schoharie. Located on private properties near the Department of Motor Vehicles, these are the 2nd and 3rd largest documented American sycamore trees in Schoharie County to date.
Another local New York State Champion tree can be found at Bleeker Stadium in Albany. The honored tree is a Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), a deciduous conifer. Unlike most cone-bearing trees, bald cypress loses its needles each winter and grows a new set in spring, making its unique bark structure stand out in the cooler months. The russet-red fall color of its lacy needles is a tree lover’s must-see.
If a tree is located on private property, please respect the land owner by getting permission to visit it. If you know of a big tree and want to share it, please reach out via email at fred@landisarboretum.org. It is best to include a photo of the tree with a person standing beside it to show scale. Bigger is better to a Big Tree Hunter, but size is always relative to species.
Click on the photos below for tree names.
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