Champion Tree Collection
The Gardens has a large collection of champion trees
What makes a tree, a ‘Champion Tree’?
I would imagine that most people will think that a champion tree must be a huge colossus of a tree, bigger than all the rest, but this isn’t necessarily the case. A champion is in essence the biggest example of that species of tree in the country and this can be height or girth or both. Even a dwarf tree can be a champion if its height exceeds all others in the UK of that variety. TROBI, Tree Register of the British Isles, is the organisation responsible for declaring trees, champions. Many hundreds of trees from all over the country are registered each year. TROBI will check and confirm that these are or are not, champions. At present the Hillier Gardens has one of the largest collections of champion trees in the country.
Examples of our champion trees are:
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Abies Chengii
This champion tree is a Chinese native fir admired for its plump, deep blue cones that sit like candles along the branches.
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Acer griseum - Chinese Paperbark Maple
The beautiful flaking bark is a distinct feature when young, but mature trees have a more glossy, strongly cinnamon coloured bark.
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Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Jermyns'
Selected by Hillier Nurseries in 1960 from seedlings raised from Dutch imported seed.
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Fagus sylvatica - Dawyck Purple
This stunning fastigiate (upright growing) purple/red beech is a champion tree in the Gardens.
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Metasequoia glyptostroboides - Dawn Redwood
Seed from that first sighting was grown on in the UK and this specimen was grown from one of those seeds.
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Picea abies - Viminalis
A weeping form of a common large spruce species often used as a Christmas tree.
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Picea orientalis - Skylands
Picea orientalis 'Skylands' is not only an architectural beauty, but this champion tree variety also has a fascinating feature.
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Populus x canescens - Macrophylla
This giant popular hybrid has stood by our pond since 1970.
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Our Trees - Tree Planted by Elizabeth II, 2003
A cross between Acer griseum (The Chinese Paperbark Maple) and Acer maximowiczianum, a common Chinese maple species.
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Sequoia sempervirens - Cantab
Our Champion tree of Sequoia sempervirens 'Cantab', is a super example of this rare and unusual 'Giant Redwood' variety.