Southern Ohio Landowner Has National Champion Tree Growing on the Property

Lawrence County Ohio – Some of the biggest trees in the nation are in Ohio, a special group follows these big trees and says Ohio has 16 of them and some are in Southern Ohio.

Pictured here is the national champion northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), located in Lawrence County, Ohio. This massive tree is 276 inches in circumference!

This tree grows to 30 meters (98 feet) although is usually shorter. It can reach a diameter of 76 centimeters (30 inches) or more. The bark is somewhat flaky and gray in color. The dark green leaves are large and cordate (heart shaped). Leaves are opposite or whorled and 18 to 30 centimeters (7 to 12 inches) long and 13 to 21 centimeters (5 to 8 1/4 inches) wide. The flowers are white with yellow stripes and purple spots inside. Flowers are up to 6 centimeters (2 1/4 inches) wide and are borne in clusters up to 20 centimeters (7 3/4 inches) long. The fruit is a narrow pod (capsule), up to 36 centimeters (14 inches) long which contains 100 or more winged seeds (see photos).

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Northern catalpa is associated with low ground along streams, rivers and lakes, often in the open. It is widely planted as an ornamental tree. It is known from New England, except Vermont, west through New York, to North Dakota, and south to Texas, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, east to Georgia and north to Pennsylvania, but is not recorded from New Jersey and Delaware. It is also known from Ontario.

This species flowers in May to June with fruit ripening in September to October depending on the part of the country in which it is found. Bees, wasps and flies visit the flowers. In some parts of the country, it is called cigar tree in reference to the long narrow fruits.

Sadly the location of this tree is private due to the safety of the tree and for privacy.

Other National record trees in Ohio are: