A New Biggest Tree in Illinois

From the April 29, 2018, Chicago Tribune  "New preserve lays claim to biggest tree in Illinois" by Ted Gregory.

It's in Mt. Morris, about 100 miles west of Chicago.  And, it is 122 feet tall and nearly 29 feet in circumference eastern cottonwood and lives in Bald Hill Prairie Preserve.  The former biggest one is a cypress tree in the Cache River Natural Area near the southern tip of the state.

Bald Hill Prairie Preserve is a new 160 acre acquired by the Byron Forest Preserve District.

Between the wind, ice storms and soil conditions in Illinois, very few trees grown taller than 120 feet.  Eastern cottonwoods are particularly vulnerable as their wood is very weak and typically only live to be 70 to 100 years.  They estimate this one to be about 200 years old, the same time Illinois became a state.  So, it could be our Bicentennial Tree.

I remember my first encounter with a cottonwood in Round Lake Beach, when ones in the neighborhood let loose their seed parachutes which resembled dandelion fluff.  I had just had sod put down and said, "Oh no you don't.  I'll have no dandelions growing in my sod so ran out and started clearing them away until I realized it was a futile effort."

Well, I was the guy looking around Woodstock, Illinois, for the Woodstock Arts Festival in 1969.

Our friends Kevin and Kelly have a big old cottonwood in their yard on the Chain of Lakes.

Not the Sharpest Pencil in the Box.  --CootStupid