# New MD Champion White Oak



## Castenea (Jan 18, 2008)

> Seventeen years ago, Victor and Linda Pepe were inspecting their newly purchased farm in northwest Montgomery County when they saw a thick trunk and stout tree limbs reaching out of a woodsy patch.
> That's a no-account tree, the former owner told them later. "That old tree is getting ready to die," he said.
> He couldn't have been more wrong.
> State experts say the Pepes' tree, long identified as the biggest white oak in Montgomery, has grown to become the largest known white oak in Maryland. That makes it the likely successor to the Wye Oak, a centuries-old Eastern Shore granddaddy that achieved celebrity status as a national champion before it was toppled during a storm in 2002.


From the December 28, 2007 Washington Post

This trees measurements are:

107 Ft tall
22.3 Ft circumference
115 Ft crown Spread


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## AndyR (Jan 21, 2008)

*Thanks for posting this*

I grew up and lived in the area for many years. Nice to see news from home. I remember a couple of pretty big ones (white oaks) in Montgomery Village accross the street from our home. They were not as large as this one but shaped really nice. They always impressed me. 

Thanks again,
Andy


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## Mikecutstrees (Jan 30, 2008)

White oaks are so neat. There is one in the woods behind my house. Diameter is between 4 and 5 feet. The tree not doing great, it has alot of decay on one side and alot of old deadwood. Alot of live wood too though. It had a 10 inch ash growing up through the center of it but I took that out as well as a couple other small trees that were realling encroaching on it. It would be really cool to see one in the 6 foot diameter range!


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## Billygee (Mar 2, 2008)

A dandy specimen indeed. Still behind this guy a little:
National Register of Big Trees 
Home | Resources | National Register of Big Trees | Register | Details 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
White Oak Quercus alba 
Location: Lawrenceville, VA 
Circumference: 312 inches 
Height: 86 feet 
Spread: 116 feet 
Points: 427 
Most Recent Measurement: 2003 
Nominator/s: Frank E. McKeever


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 2, 2008)

That is hard to beat.

Ian sent me to a Burr in MKE central city, it is huge. In those back yard of one of those big old Victorians that made it through the demolition period of the 50's and 60's.

It sprawls over 4 yards and the alley, very tall and big trunk.

I made the mistake of not checking the girth score first, because it is only half that of the state champ. I had the darnedest time getting a read on the hight with the gables on the house.

It would have placed around 13th in the state if the owner would ahve come down to sign...


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## tomtrees58 (Mar 2, 2008)

man thats nice wood tom trees


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## John Paul Sanborn (Mar 2, 2008)

tomtrees58 said:


> man thats nice wood tom trees



When you get to those girths they do not really open well, lots of decay, at least in my experience.


Though the deadwood loads sure make a lot of good firewood.


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