One City, Many Champions

What could be better: Robert Van Pelt back in Walla Walla to measure our trees again, and award-winning journalist Elliott Almond here to record the event. It was an opportunity too good to be true.

But it almost didn’t happen. In the days leading up to the event there was confusion at Parks & Recreation, which was ultimately resolved by the city.

In addition, the stewards of one champion on public land had overlooked their spring cleanup, but raced to deliver and spread new mulch.

Everything was finally in place when we gathered on the appointed day, only to discover that the photographer had failed to appear as planned.

When “Champion Trees of Washington State” appeared in 1996 the results were astonishing: the three largest London Plane trees in the state were all within 1.5 miles of one another, in Walla Walla.

As if by design, the three trees each excelled in a different way. One had the largest girth, one was tallest, and one had the largest crown.

Fortunately, all three of those trees survive. Unfortunately, the two trees on public land have been pruned by arborists and the tree on private land has been cut by a neighbor riding a 40′ bucket lift. All three trees would be even larger today had they not been pruned.

Over time, the tree in Hayner Park outgrew its cousins in every respect; it is now the tallest of the three, it has the largest girth, and it has the largest crown.

The 1909 image of Grace Isaacs with the parasol is iconic. Grace appears as a guardian angel, protecting her newly planted London Planetrees.

The map below shows the twelve trees, arrayed in two concentric circles: six trees in the inner circle and six trees in the outer circle. Capability Brown could not have planned a more harmonious garden.

The red dots on the map below represent the twelve legacy trees; the dots in the white circles represent the trees measured in Pioneer Park on May 26, 2023. The data sheet below gives the measurements for the six trees measured that day.

This tree has been protected by its owner and steward John Christy for decades. It stands proudly in the back yard of a historic house, thought to be built in 1907. This mighty oak may be of the same vintage as the Pioneer Park London Planes.

This new champion was brought to our attention by tree scouts Chris and Kathryn Howard.

Notes

1. The text on the sign reads as follows: Under this ordinance this Northern Red Oak may not be subjected to excessive or unnecessary pruning or trimming that may cause infection or infestation or might reduce the tree’s height or crown diameter.