Notable Native Trees of the Area
Tiffin and Seneca County are blessed by an unusually large number of native trees, many of them over a hundred years old. This week’s article includes several of the largest trees in the area. The diameter at breast height (DBH) which is taken about four and one half feet from the ground is given. All of the trees in this article are native to Ohio.
1-a. Eastern cottonwood, 48 inches DBH - reported
by Wayne Stephens on Holmes Street across from National Machinery Warehouse.
1-b. Eastern cottonwood, 69 inches, on the
Einsel farm, 2801 N. Clinton Twp. Rd. 73.
1-c. Eastern Cottonwood, 53 inches, west of
the Student Center, Heidelberg campus.
2. Honey Locust, 34 inches, 486 South Washington
Street.
3-a. Black Walnut, 52 inches, on the Einsel
farm. Estimated age 130 years.
3-b. Black Walnut, 42 inches, in the Junior
Home Park.
3-c. Black Walnut, 42 inches, at the home
of Allie Allman, 486 South Washington Street. Estimated age of 106 years
old.
4. Black Gum, 39 inches, a rare Seneca County
finding in the Einsel woods. The largest in a grove of three.
5. Pignut Hickory, 41 inches, on the Einsel
farm
6. Butternut Walnut, 25 inches, on the Einsel
farm.
7-a. White Oak, 59 inches, reported by Walt
Szableski, 826 County Rd. 16 in a field owned by Ed Daniels.
7-b. White Oak, 50 inches, reported by Gaylord
Snavely, 9735 E. Twp. Rd. 138. It is 40 feet to the first limb.
7-c. White Oak, 57 inches, reported by Virginia
Roth on the western edge of Attica along the “Little Rhine”on property
owned by Joan Willman. Senior citizens say the tree has always been there.
7-d. White Oak, 62 inches, at 250 Clinton
Avenue.
8. Hazelnut, 12 inches at three feet from
the ground. Reported by Joan Sigler, 340 Melmore Street.
9. American Elm, 43 inches, reported by Rodger
Murray, at 558 E. Twp Rd. 58.
10. Sycamore, 91 inches, south of Ernest Wise’s
home at 4569 N. Co. Rd. 33 in a flood plain below High Banks.
10-a. Sycamore, 58 inches in the Junior Home
Park.
11. Ohio Buckeye, 32 inches, near Laird Science
Hall, Heidelberg campus.
12. White Pine, 32 inches, near Laird Science
Hall, Heidelberg campus. Not native to Seneca Co.
13. Hemlock, 23 inches, across Greenfield
Street from Laird Science Hall, Heidelberg campus Not native to Seneca
County
14. Redbud, 15 inches, Hedges Boyer Park.
15. Tulip Tree, 61 inches, southwest corner
of Hedges-Boyer Park.
16. Hackberry, 26 inches, in the Junior Home
Park.
17. Red Elm, 25 inches, in St. Francis Woods.
18. Black Cherry, 32 inches, in the Junior
Home Park.
19. Ironwood, 14 inches, in St. Francis Woods.
20. Bitternut Hickory, 20 inches, in St. Francis
Woods.
21. Red Oak, 40 inches, in St. Francis Woods.
22. Shagbark Hickory, 23 inches, in St. Francis
Woods.
23. Black Locust, 19 inches, in St. Francis
Woods
24. Sugar Maple, 40 inches, in St. Francis
Woods.
25. Red Maple, 25 inches, in St. Francis Woods.
26. Sassafras, 22 inches, in St. Francis Woods.
27. Pin Oak, 41 inches, in the yard at 94
Indian Lane, also native to Seneca County in poorly drained areas.
28. Silver Maple, 56 inches, 237 Charlotte
Street
28-a. Silver Maple, 56 inches, reported by
Wayne Stephens, in Green Lawn Cemetery.
29. Yellow Oak, 47 inches, in the Junior Home
Park. A very fine rare oak near the small creek.
30. Basswood, 30 inches in the Junior Home
Park.
31. American Chestnut, 22 inches, at 194 Riverside
Drive. Thought to be about 55 years old. This tree may be resistant to
the fungus that destroyed the most important tree in the Appalachian Mountains.
American Chestnut trees are reported to have been on a high ridge on the
Einsel Farm.
32. Persimmon, 31 inches, on the Einsel Farm.
This tree produces much fruit and many seedlings. This tree is thought
to be a hundred years old. It is native to south and south-eastern Ohio
33. White Ash, 44 inches, at 670 South Washington
Street. The largest white ash known to me was topped about 1980. This,
an apparently healthy tree on the Heidelberg campus with a DBH of 54 inches,
died about two years ago and had to be removed. It was probably at least
150 years old.
34. Cucumber Magnolia, 21 inches, 38 years
old at 110 Mohawk Street. It is common in southeastern Ohio.
Part II next week will consist of a listing and discussion of several exotic trees and shrubs and cultivars found in the local area. My goal is to establish an historical base for the trees found in Tiffin and Seneca County. If any of our readers know of the history or location of tree that might be of interest, please call me at 447-2896 and I will come to investigate and record the information.
The Tiffin Shade Tree and Beautification Commission is now compiling a last of trees that will be planted this fall or early spring, 2001. If you desire a tree to be planted on the city property adjacent to your property, please call the Public Works at 448-5430. A member of the Commission will investigate the site and if appropriate, a tree will be planted by the city at no cost to the landowner.
Also if you know of any of the young trees that were planted in the last few years that have died or are in bad shape, please call Public Works. They will be replaced.
– Percy