Big Tree Registry

Since the 1940s, local governments and forest-related organizations have been searching for, identifying and documenting the biggest trees in the nation.

Virginia Big Tree Program

The Virginia Big Tree Program maintains a registry of the five largest specimens of over 300 native, non-native, and naturalized tree species. The Virginia Big Tree Program is coordinated by the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech.

Loudoun County has 15 of the state's champion or co-champion trees and has more than 41 trees in all listed in the Virginia Big Tree Program. Champion trees are the largest of their species.

Loudoun Big Tree Registry

Loudoun County’s Big Tree Registry program is currently being updated. We hope to have an updated list in the future. In the meantime, we invite you to apply for the State’s Virginia Big Tree Registry.

This Shumard oak in Algonkian Regional Park is one of the largest trees in Loudoun. It is 112 feet high and 176"around the trunk. It's estimated to be about 200 years old.

Shumard Oak - Algonkian

Interactive Map: Loudoun County's Big Trees

Loudoun County has an interactive map that shows the general location of the county's big trees. Please note that this map is currently not being updated as the county is in the process of updating the Big Tree Registry program. 

Select the image to launch the map, which depicts the location of Loudoun's known big trees.

Click on a tree point represented by a tear drop shape and learn the common name of the tree in question, followed by the Latin name, and the tree's measurements, including the height, circumference and crown spread, which is the distance from one end of the tree's branches to the other end. (We average the crown spread from two measurements.)

Big Tree Registry Map

Big Tree Poster

Select the image for a larger view of the Big Tree Registry poster (PDF), which shows some of Loudoun's Big Trees!

Big Tree Registry

Did You Know?

The state of Virginia's biggest trees include:

  • A water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) that is 474 inches in circumference. Fifty-five school age children could fit inside the circle of this tree.
  • An American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) that is 137 feet high - as tall as a 14-story building
  • A willow oak (Quercus phellos) that has a canopy spread of 137 feet, that would almost cover the width and half the length of a football field.

For More Information

For more information about the Loudoun County Big Tree Registry or more information about trees in Loudoun County, contact Loudoun County Urban Forester Mike Ronayne at 703-771-5991 or by emailing Mike Ronayne.