These beauties offer shade. They filter the air. And they serve as homes to generations of birds and squirrels.
Ten Tarrant County trees are among this year's state champions.
The six Fort Worth trees and four North Richland Hills trees were nominated by residents and environmentalists. They were among more than 100 trees across Texas recently recognized by the College Station-based Texas Forest Service.
Each winner was determined by its height, crown spread and trunk circumference.
"Everything's bigger in Texas, and we brag about our trees being so big," said Steve Houser, a consulting arborist from Richardson.
The idea originated in the 1940s with a forester who wanted to protect trees from being cut down, said Courtney Blevins, the Fort Worth representative for the Texas Forest Service.
"It's important to recognize the truly remarkable trees and to increase awareness of the urban forest that we live in," Blevins said.
Trees are silent witnesses to the community and history, said Geoffrey Sherman, a North Richland Hills landscape horticulturist.
"By identifying these trees, we are preserving them for future generations," he said.
More than half of Tarrant County's state winners are on public locations. They are maintained by Mother Nature. The rest of the champs sit on private property and are slightly more pampered, Sherman said.
Cindee Ross of Aledo owns Green Mama's Organic Garden Center at 5324 Davis Blvd. in North Richland Hills. She waters her award-winning Chinese privet once a week and tosses organic fertilizers around it three times a year.
"It's just so beautiful and unique. It grows deep-purple berries year-round," Ross said. "As far as nature goes, it's an awesome tree."
Award-winning trees in Tarrant County
Mexican buckeye
Location: Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.
Height: 23 feet
Trunk circumference: 12 inches
Crown spread*: 18 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in the United States
Gum bully
Location: Trinity Park, 2401 University Drive, Fort Worth
Height: 55 feet
Trunk circumference: 87 inches
Crown spread: 56 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Green hawthorn
Location: Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Height: 38 feet
Trunk circumference: 50 inches
Crown spread: 33 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Common jujube
Location: Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Height: 46 feet
Trunk circumference: 64 inches
Crown spread: 36 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Bur oak
Location: Bryant Irvin Road and Bellaire Drive, Fort Worth
Height: 81 feet
Trunk circumference: 218 inches
Crown spread: 105 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Texas red oak
Location: Ward Parkway and Glenco Terrace, Fort Worth
Height: 70 feet
Trunk circumference: 198 inches
Crown spread: 82 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in the United States
Texas Hercules' club
Location: Cross Timbers Park, 7680 Douglas Road, North Richland Hills
Height: 41 feet
Trunk circumference: 33 inches
Crown spread: 18 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Chinese privet
Location: Green Mama's Organic Garden Center, 5324 Davis Blvd., North Richland Hills
Height: 23 feet
Trunk circumference: 36 inches
Crown spread: 24 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Golden raintree
Location: Briley and Rufe Snow drives, North Richland Hills
Height: 27 feet
Trunk circumference: 58 inches
Crown spread: 35 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
Chinese parasol
Location: North Hills Drive and Dent Road, North Richland Hills
Height: 43 feet
Trunk circumference: 76 inches
Crown spread: 47 feet
Significance: Largest of its species in Texas
* Crown spread: Tree at its widest point.
Online: texastreetrails.org or txforestservice.tamu.edu
Source: Texas Forest ServiceThe Star-Telegram
