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Champion trees must be native to Missouri. Horticultural varieties, naturalized species, hybrids, and exotic species are excluded from the list.
A tree is defined as a "woody plant having one erect perennial stem (trunk) at least three inches in diameter at a point 4.5 feet above the ground, a definitely formed crown of foliage, and a mature height of at least 13 feet."
Frequently, champion trees blow over in storms, fall victim to disease or old age, or are simply cut down. When a mishap occurs, the largest contender of that species on file becomes the new champion.
The owner and nominator of each champion will receive a certificate mounted on a walnut plaque and all the bragging rights associated with finding or owning a champion tree. If two or more trees are within four points of each other, they will be co-champions.
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Eligible Species for Champion Trees
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- Alder, Common Alnus serrulata
- Ash, Blue Fraxinus quadrangulata
- Ash, Green Fraxinus pennsylvanica
- Ash, Pumpkin Fraxinus profunda
- Ash, White Fraxinus americana
- Aspen, Bigtooth Populus grandidentata
- Aspen, Quaking Populus tremuloides
- Baldcypress Taxodium distichum
- Basswood, American Tilia americana
- Basswood, White Tilia heterophylla
- Beech, American Fagus grandifolia
- Birch, River Betula nigra
- Black Gum Nyssa sylvatica
- Blackhaw Viburnum prunifolium
- Blackhaw, Rusty Viburnum rufidulum
- Bladdernut Staphylea trifolia
- Boxelder Acer negundo
- Buckeye, Ohio Aescultus glabra
- Buckeye, Red Aescultus pavia
- Buckthorn, Southern Bumelia lycioides
- Buckthorn, Carolina Rhamnus caroliniana
- Buckthorn, Woolly Bumelia lanuginosa
- Butternut Juglans cinerea
- Catalpa, Northern Catalpa speciosa
- Cherry, Black Prunus serotina
- Cherry, Choke Prunus virginiana
- Chestnut, American Castanea dentata
- Chinquapin, Ozark Castanea pumila var. ozarkensis
- Coffeetree, Kentucky Gymnocladus dioica
- Corkwood Leitneria floridana
- Cottonwood, Eastern Populus deltoides
- Cottonwood, Swamp Populus heterophylla
- Crab Apple, Narrow-Leaved Malus angustifolia
- Crab Apple, Prairie Malus ioensis
- Crab Apple, Sweet Malus coronaria
- Cucumbertree Magnolia acuminata
- Devil's Walking Stick Aralia spinosa
- Dogwood, Alternate-Leaf Cornus alternifolia
- Dogwood, Flowering Cornus florida
- Dogwood, Gray Cornus racemosa
- Dogwood, Rough-Leaf Cornus drummondii
- Dogwood, Stiff Cornus foemina
- Dogwood, Swamp Cornus amomum
- Elder, Red-Berried Sambucus racemosa
- Elm, American Ulmus americana
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- Elm, Cedar Ulmus crassifolia
- Elm, Rock Ulmus thomasii
- Elm, Slippery Ulmus rubra
- Elm, Winged Ulmus alata
- Farkleberry Vaccinium arboreum
- Fringe Tree Chionanthus virginicus
- Hackberry Celtris occidentalis
- Hackberry, Dwarf Celtis tenuifolia
- Hawthorn, Cockspur Crataegus crus-galli
- Hawthorn, Downy Crataegus mollis
- Hawthorn, Green Crataegus viridis
- Hawthorn, Washington Crataegus phaenopyrum
- Hickory, Bitternut Carya cordiformis
- Hickory, Black Carya texana
- Hickory, Mockernut Carya tomentosa
- Hickory, Pignut Carya glabra
- Hickory, Sand Carya pallida
- Hickory, Shagbark Carya ovata
- Hickory, Shellbark Carya laciniosa
- Hickory, Water Carya aquatica
- Holly, American Ilex opaca
- Hophornbeam, Eastern Ostrya virginiana
- Hoptree, Common Ptelea trifoliata
- Hornbeam, American Carpinus caroliniana
- Juniper, Ashe Juniperus ashei
- Locust, Black Robinia pseudo-acacia
- Locust, Honey Gleditisia triacanthos
- Locust, Water Gleditsia aquatica
- Maple, Black Acer nigrum
- Maple, Red Acer rubrum
- Maple, Silver Acer saccharinum
- Maple, Sugar Acer sacchrum
- Mulberry, Red Morus rubra
- Oak, Black Quercus velutina
- Oak, Blackjack Quercus marilandica
- Oak, Bur Quercus macrocarpa
- Oak, Cherrybark Quercus pagoda
- Oak, Chinkapin Quercus muehlenbergii
- Oak, Dwarf Chinkapin Quercus prinoides
- Oak, Northern Red Quercus rubra
- Oak, Nuttall Quercus texana
- Oak, Overcup Quercus lyrata
- Oak, Pin Quercus palustris
- Oak, Post Quercus stellata
- Oak, Scarlet Quercus coccinea
- Oak, Shingle Quercus imbricaria
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- Oak, Shumard Quercus shumardii
- Oak, Southern Red Quercus falcata
- Oak, Swamp Chestnut Quercus michauxii
- Oak, Swamp White Quercus bicolor
- Oak, Water Quercus nigra
- Oak, White Quercus alba
- Oak, Willow Quercus phellos
- Osage-Orange Maclura pomifera
- Pawpaw Asimina triloba
- Pecan Carya illinoinensis
- Persimmon Diospyros virginiana
- Pine, Shortleaf Pinus echiniata
- Planertree Planera aquatica
- Plum, Chickasaw Prunus angustifolia
- Plum, Hortulan Prunus hortulana
- Plum, Mexican Prunus mexicana
- Plum, Wild Prunus americana
- Plum, Wild Goose Prunus munsoniana
- Possumhaw Ilex decidua
- Redbud, Eastern Cercis canadensis
- Redcedar, Eastern Juniperus virginiana
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum
- Serviceberry, Downy Amelanchier arborea
- Smoke Tree Cotinus obovatus
- Soapberry, Western Sapindus drummondii
- Sugarberry Celtis laevigata
- Sumac, Smooth Rhus glabra
- Sumac, Winged Rhus copallina
- Swamp Privet Forestiera acuminata
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua
- Sycamore, American Platanus occidentalis
- Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera
- Tupelo, Water Nyssa aquatica
- Wahoo, Eastern Euonymus atropurpureus
- Walnut, Black Juglans nigra
- Willow, Black Salix nigra
- Willow, Carolina Salix caroliniana
- Willow, Missouri Salix eriocephala
- Willow, Peach Leaved Salix amygdaloides
- Willow, Pussy Salix discolor
- Willow, Sandbar Salix interior
- Willow, Silky Salix sericea
- Winterberry Ilex verticillata
- Witch Hazel, Eastern Hamamelis virginiana
- Witch Hazel, Ozark Hamamelis vernalis
- Yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea