Tallest known Acer / Maple worldwide?

[M.D. Vaden]

Here's a posting I put on the UBC botanical forums, as well as the UK forums, regarding a tree find from this week. If you know anything, thanks in advance.

Hoping someone might have a few bits of information on the maximum known height of Acer, worldwide. Information that is near 100% reliable.

Last week, I discovered a bigleaf maple in northern California that is about 155 feet / 47.2 meters tall. It's not a huge tree. Although I suspect it could be fairly old.

In the past few days, I've received notes, or met face to face, with researchers Van Pelt & Sillett, Will Blozan of the east USA, and Michael Taylor, California's champion tree program coordinator. Combined, they know of no maple in the USA over 148 feet. Van Pelt said that one reference to a 158 footer in Washington, was really more of a 148 footer, incorrectly measured. Blozan is aware of some 140 ft. to 144 ft. specimens in the east USA, and that anything found online said to be taller, would not really exist.

I'm curious if anybody reading these forums has factual heights of any maples in other countries or continents, taller than 150 feet. Something that may not be online to find.

Thank you.

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[CJ-7]

Well, if he had the California champion tree ccoordinator say he hasn't seen anything larger, looks like he at least found the California state champion Bigleaf Maple. Good for him. BUT, no picture? Never happened!

Here is a link to the National Register of Big Trees: Big Trees | American Forests
And their listing for Migleaf Maple:

Acer macrophyllum

Bigleaf MAPLE (Acer macrophyllum)

Tree Circumference:305
Height:88
Crown Spread:104
Total Points:419

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Location:Marion, OR

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Nominated By:Margie Campbell
Year Nominated:2011


Thought I found a MI state champ Elm several years ago, ready to be removed for a gas station expansion, but when visited by the State big tree expert, it wasn't the rarer species I thought but an American Elm. Gone now.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

They said they were aware of none taller. There should be plenty larger. Champion tree registries are based on girth, crown spread and height. World height records are almost completely different. Like the world's tallest tree, a tallest redwood, is not recorded on the national or California registries.

So far, the only number outside the USA I got, was posted at the UBC forums, for a 37 meter Acer in the UK.

Almost got one for the USA national register in 2011. The western hemlock I found in California is about 520 points, putting it 7 points shy of the 527 point hemlock in Washington. The 520 point hemlock in California, is the height record though, at 271.75' (conservative measure).

January of 2011 was when Taylor and I found the world's tallest pine, at 268'. It was not too far away from the new largest Ponderosa in Oregon. But that 268-footer likewise was not a national point registry tree. Likewise with the 266' height record Port Orford redcedar of 2009, at Jedediah Smith redwoods.



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[CJ-7]

They said they were aware of none taller. There should be plenty larger. Champion tree registries are based on girth, crown spread and height. World height records are almost completely different. Like the world's tallest tree, a tallest redwood, is not recorded on the national or California registries.

So far, the only number outside the USA I got, was posted at the UBC forums, for a 37 meter Acer in the UK.

Almost got one for the USA national register in 2011. The western hemlock I found in California is about 520 points, putting it 7 points shy of the 527 point hemlock in Washington. The 520 point hemlock in California, is the height record though, at 271.75' (conservative measure).

January of 2011 was when Taylor and I found the world's tallest pine, at 268'. It was not too far away from the new largest Ponderosa in Oregon. But that 268-footer likewise was not a national point registry tree. Likewise with the 266' height record Port Orford redcedar of 2009, at Jedediah Smith redwoods.



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So when you find a new record tree, do you submit it for acceptance as a record for the state and country and world if it qualifies? I know the national registry has a tab to submit new records. And even if it doesn't qualify for the most points, they usually have a category for the tallest.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

So when you find a new record tree, do you submit it for acceptance as a record for the state and country and world if it qualifies? I know the national registry has a tab to submit new records. And even if it doesn't qualify for the most points, they usually have a category for the tallest.

Off to work, but I'll look for that tab or option at their site later. That would be fun to browse if they have it.

So far, I think we've mainly submitted the finds to local news, and the network of discoverers, researchers or big tree enthusiasts.

But some of the may have submitted to American Forests too. Will check and see this afternoon.

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