Skip to main content

Mystery tree identification

In a Previous Blog story we were trying to identify the tree in the front of the house.
I finally contacted the local Department of Environmental Conservation who were amazing.  I was put in contact with a great guy called Michael Pogue who is a Senior Forrester at NYS DEC who not only looked at several photos but also went to the house and identified the tree as an American Smoketree.

"Just got back from your property.  Smoke tree it is.  This is the largest specimen I have seen and the first one I have actually looked at at "close range".  It's out of its native range but obviously quite happy."

I must say I had not expected the support and help that Mike at the DEC provided.  Obviously in the grand scheme of things this is not a big priority for them but Mike not only took an interest but went out of his way to help me learn more about the tree.  If part of DEC's responsibilities is education and garnering community interest in trees and forestry,  Mike certainly excelled in that.

So, we know we have an American Smoketree....but exactly how large a specimen is it?

Well, thanks to the document referenced in the previous post on the subject, we know it is bigger than any other in New York State.  The current state champion is 11 inches in circumference and only 20 ft tall.  (According to the New York State Big Tree Register)

Then I started looking around at other Champion Tree lists.

(For reference our tree is 82 inches around the trunk and I estimate between 35 and 45ft tall.  It does not have a big "crown" because of the two huge Maple trees that shade it from one side.  Approx 25-30ft )

List of big tree lists

Turns out the "National Champion" Smoketree is not too much bigger than ours.  This one is in Kentucky and is 101 inches around the trunk and 42 ft tall.  

The Kansas champion is 97 inches around the trunk and 46 feet tall.  Missouri 88' and 30 feet tall.
Other than those three trees, I cannot find any other Smoketrees on the lists that is bigger than ours,

Now the fun starts.  We have to get the tree registered as the NY state champion.  It is clearly much bigger than the current state champion.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Paradox farm

If you wander along Springtown Road, past DeJoux House, you will see our mailbox opposite the front door.  It's not especially distinguishable except it is rather large and sits on an old tree stump.  It's a rusty old thing but it seems to have survived the snow plows and drunk drivers of Springtown Road. It has always bothered me that on the side of the mail box you can see the vague outline of the words "Paradox Farm" which was clearly a name that DeJoux House was more recently referred to.  Occasionally when wondering the fields I would stumble across some incongruity and wonder if that was indeed the "paradox" that the farm was named after. Yesterday morning, for some unknown reason, I decided it was time to resolve the paradox.  I sent a quick email to the previous owner June Finer to see if she knew anything of the Paradox Farm ghost on the side of the mailbox. This was her reply: once upon a time we, (myself and russell gilmore---my ex), met a

Inspiration for the future look

Daniel has found some wonderful reference materials for keeping the history and character yet not making it a museum. I love the big kitchen table plan for the kitchen inspired by Lutyens and some "behind the scenes" pictures of victorian kitchens. He also showed me some country houses from Axel Vervoordt that I really love. http://bit.ly/uX1eW Simple, authentic yet modern. We discussed putting a full length plate glass window in the old hay loft window on the end of the house. Wow. I can't wait.

DeJoux House to be published

Reclaimed Doorway  Our house has been watched over the years by a couple, Susan Daley and Steve Gross who create amazing books of old houses and Hudson Valley (each name below is a link to Amazon).  They knew the house and had been watching our progress. As we came close to finishing they reached out and asked if they could photograph the house for a book of cottages: Catskill Country Style Book , Old Houses , Farm House Revival , Homes With A Past , Gardens of Hudson Valley , Time Wearing Out Memory ...to name but a few. All of these books are beautifully produced. I can't wait to see our home in one of them later in 2015/16. I won't reveal all of the amazing photographs that have been taken of our house, you'll have to buy the book to see them all....but here is a little taster. Summer patio Kitchen Stools Front Door Open