Tree Information
Common Name: red spruce
Scientific Name: Picea rubens
Native/Naturalized: Native to Virginia
Database ID: 2635
Status: alive
National Champion: no
Virginia Champion: no
Trunk Girth: 106 in.
Tree Height: 108 ft.
Crown Spread: 29 ft.
Points: 221
Date Last Measured: 2024
Last Measured by: John Peterson and Eric Wiseman
Date First Measured: 1980
Comments:
2024 comments: Tree is still thriving. No indications of stress, instability, or disturbance. Tree is located on a steep embankment. Trunk was measured 4.5' above mid-slope position.
2019 comments: Tree is healthy and sturdy. Crown is quite narrow for the height and girth. Located near a large double-stem red spruce that is the current state champion. This is the first red spruce ever nominated to the Virginia Big Tree Register in May 1980 by J.C. Clark and G.B. McDonald. It reigned as the biggest red spruce until a larger double-stemmed tree was found nearby. It now returns to the register in 2019. Tree is perched on a steep bank above a stream and there is considerable elevation change between the top-side and bottom-side of the trunk. Trunk was measured at 4.5' above the mid-slope position, which placed the measurement location 3.4' up the trunk on the uphill side. Measured by John Peterson and Forestry Graduate Students. Trunk taken at 105", 105' height, 29' crown, totaling 217 points.
Location of Tree
Tree is located in: Giles
Land Owner: U.S. Forest Service
GPS Coordinates: 37.391799, -80.495371
Directions: On the north bank of an intermittent stream called War Spur Branch. Visible from the hiking trail called War Spur Loop. Some maps show the tree as several hundred feet from the trail. But the current configuration of the trail passes much closer. Best accessed by parking at the War Spur Loop Trailhead and hiking east on the trail. Easiest access is to veer left off of the trail as approach War Spur Branch and walk along the north embankment of the stream. This tree is about 100' northeast from red spruce ID 0253. Only attempt to measure this tree during the dormant season. Terrain is rugged and understory vegetation is very dense, making it difficult to take accurate measurements.
Contact Information
Contact Name: Eric Wiseman
Contact Email: pwiseman@vt.edu
Contact Phone: 540-231-5148
Contact Info: John Peterson, jopeters@vt.edu
Nominators
Original Nominator(s): J.C. Clark and G.B. McDonald
Additional Information
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