SE PA:  some trees I measured today   wad-@comcast.net
  Oct 13, 2006 14:22 PDT 
ENTS
Had another doctors appt today, so I used the balance to measure trees.

The Lacrosse sycamore, Lansdowne Pa.
23.6x 86.0 max spread 169

The Bonsall sycamore, Lansdowne Pa
19.6x 94.4 max spread 78'

The Grange manor Tulip poplar, Haverford Pa This site may have more potential. I will return.
14.6 x 128.0

West Chester Univ. Bartram Oak ,natural hybrid between willow oak and red oak. (Q. heterophylla) discovered by John Bartram of Franklinia fame.
16.3 x 94.9 max spread 92'

Tried to locate a couple of other trees from the Penn tree list, but to no avail. 

Measured some non natives too. Found a new champ for London plane 13.2 x 101.8. 
A male gingko 17.7 x 90.6 and a weeping european beech, on american rootstock planted around 1711 that has about nine trunks from touching the ground and rooting. 12.1 x 64.7 93' spd. and a regular E. beech 15.8 x 80.5 90' spd. Boulevard cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Cyano-viridis') 4.6 x 36.7 21' spd (big for the cultivar)

Scott
RE: some trees I measured today   wad-@comcast.net
  Oct 14, 2006 11:12 PDT 
Will

Yep, above ground. It probably would have touched the ground, but a young Bill Hascher put a japanese style crutch on the limb, and it is now held up by that. This tree used to have a house behind it, but the town bought it and removed the house. It occupies a nice large lot in the middle of town now. I am going to send you a pic of the weeping beech, since you enjoy the gnarly ones. Scott

-------------- Original message --------------
From: Will Blozan 

169 foot spread? Above ground? WOW!
RE: some trees I measured today   wad-@comcast.net
  Oct 16, 2006 08:26 PDT 
Bob

That is the largest spread of the sycamores in my database. the next two are 142 and 136. Does it count if the branch has human assistance? the 169' tree has a japanese style crutch supporting the limb.

Scott
Record spread   Robert Leverett
  Oct 16, 2006 10:31 PDT 

Scott,

   So far as I'm concerned, human assistance is permissible. The long
151-foot spread of the Sunderland Sycamore is assisted by cables aloft.
The Pinchot Sycamore and the Hatfield Sycamores are likewise cabled. If
one tree is disqualified, we'd need to disqualify all spreads where
there is artificial limb assistance I'd think. Maybe Will Blozan and
others will weigh in on what should or shouldn't be permissible.
However, at this point, I'd say you have the record spread for a tree in
the Northeast. Congratulations!

Bob
Re: Record spread   wad-@comcast.net
  Oct 16, 2006 10:48 PDT 
Bob

Thanks, wasn't even trying! Didn't know there was such a record. This tree is on the Penn tree list, and is supposed to be 325 years old. Don't know for sure though. It is, however, in the middle of a small city called Lansdowne, Pa. The skyline of Philadelphia is very visible. There used to be a house next to the tree. I have a picture of this, but now the house is gone and it has it's very own park around it. I will send some pics to Ed to post.

Scott