The tallest tree in Ontario is currently a white pine in Arnprior that is 47 meters (154 feet) tall. Other notably big and tall trees are listed below, with sources. The tables below include some modern champions,merged with the complete honour roll of Ontario Trees as it existed in 2003. Learn more about Ontario’s oldest and biggest trees, including where to see them, in Ontario’s old-growth forests: a guidebook and Old-growth Forest Walks: 26 Hikes in Ontario’s Greenbelt.
Note that size and age aren’t strongly related – most of Ontario’s oldest trees are Average in size. The list of Ontario’s oldest trees is being regularly updated, it is officially hosted on this website. Learn more about recognizing old trees.
Conifers
| Species | Diameter (cm) | Height (m) | Year/ Nominator | Location/ Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedars | ||||
| Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus Virginiana | 82.00 | 15.70 | 1979 D. Williams | 873 Montgomery Drive Ancaster, Wentworth |
| Eastern White Cedar Thuja Occidentalis | 178.00 | 17.60 | 1976 A. Butwick | Falls Reserve Cons Area Benmiller, Huron |
| Balsam Fir Abies Balsamea | 47.00 | 30.50 | 1977 D. Lemmon | Mignet Lake Nipigon, Thunder Bay |
| Eastern Hemlock Tsuga Canadensis | 105.40 | 30.00 | 1998 S. Vasiliauskas | Big Trout Lake Algonquin Park, Nipissing |
| Tamarack Larix Larcina | 67.00 | 29.00 | 1998 D. Thain | Lot 6 Con 2, Cardiff Twp, Haliburton |
| Pines | ||||
| Eastern White Pine Pinus Strobus | 47 | 2015 S. D’Eon | Gillies Grove, Arnprior | |
| Eastern White Pine Pinus Strobus | 172.00 | 45.10 | 1975 H. Kennedy | International Cooperage Co. Property, Haliburton (Dead?) |
| Jack Pine Pinus Banksiana | 70.00 | 25.00 | 1984 D. Thain | Big Woman Lake, Goodal Twp, Kenora |
| Pitch Pine Pinus Rigida | 47.00 | 19.70 | 1977 A. Butwick | East Of Ivy Lea Bridge, Leeds And Grenville |
| Red Pine Pinus Resinosa | 113.00 | 37.50 | 1975 I. Kentell | Algonquin Park Algonquin Park, Nipissing |
| Spruces | ||||
| Black Spruce Picea Mariana | 41.00 | 21.00 | 1984 D. Thain | Loon Lake, Mitchel Twp, Kenora |
| Red Spruce Picea Rubens | 83.00 | 22.90 | 1986 R. Koabel | Huntsville, Muskoka |
| White Spruce Picea Glauca | 79.00 | 39.00 | 1991 D. Thain | Lot 24 Con 11, Mcclure Twp, Hastings |
Hardwoods
| Species | Diameter (cm) | Height (m) | Year / Nominator | Tree Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alders | ||||
| Speckled Alder Alnus Rugosa | 27.00 | 14.30 | 1976 J. Pringle | Bulls Pt. Botanical Gardens Hamilton |
| Speckled Alder Alnus Rugosa | 29 | 17 | Burlington Honour Roll | La Salle Park, Burlington |
| Wild Crabapple Malus Coronaria | 8.00 | 4.00 | 1982 J. Ambrose | S. Dumfries Twp, Brant |
| Ashes | ||||
| Black Ash Fraxinus Nigra | 76.20 | 29.50 | 1998 J. Mihell | Opeongo Lake Algonquin Park |
| Blue Ash Fraxinus Quadrangulata | 85.00 | 21.20 | 1976 W. Scott | Sombra Twp. Sombra, Lambton |
| Red Ash Fraxinus Pensylvanica | 132 | 27 | Burlington Honour Roll | 3045 Lakeshore Rd. Burlington |
| Red Ash Fraxinus Pensylvanica | 130.00 | 23.50 | 1981 G. Higham | Long Sault Parkway Lot 49 Moulinett Island |
| White Ash Fraxinus Americana | 127.00 | 31.40 | 1973 A. Butwick | 407 King St. Niagara On The Lake |
| Basswood Tilia americana | 189.00 | 23.00 | 1998 D. Thain | Dungannon Twp Hastings |
| American Beech Fagus Granifolia | 92.00 | 28.40 | 1975 A. Butwick | Springwater Cons Area Springwater |
| Birches | ||||
| Cherry Birch Betula Lenta | 92.00 | 17.70 | 1976 A. Butwick | 15 Mile Creek, Lakeshore Road St. Catherines |
| White Birch Betula Papyrifera | 118.00 | 13.70 | 1974 M. Robinson | Lot 17, Conc. 1, Strong Twsp Sunridge |
| Yellow Birch Betula Allleghaniensis | 173.00 | 24.70 | 1976 G. Felton | North Shore, Lorimer Lake Ferguson, Parry Sound |
| Ohio Buckeye Aesculus Galbra | 89.00 | 14.00 | 1987 J. Dick | 1127 Lakeshore Road Niagara On The Lake |
| Cherries and plums | ||||
| Black Cherry Prunus Serotina | 111.00 | 28.20 | 1973 A. Butwick | Royal Botanical Gardens Hamilton |
| Choke Cherry Prunus Virginiana | 26.00 | 16.20 | 1974 G. Yaki | Point Abino, Welland |
| Pin Cherry Prunus Pensylvanica | 46.00 | 16.50 | 1998 S. Vasiliauskas | Opeongo Lake Algonquin Park |
| Canada Plum Prunus Nigra | 5.00 | 4.50 | 1982 J. Sherrin | Clearwater Beach, Simcoe |
| Wild Plum Prunus Americana | 20.4 | 4.5 | 2024 P. O’Hara | Veteran’s Park, Dundas |
| Wild Plum Prunus Americana | 7.50 | 3.00 | 1982 W. Gilmour | Seneca, Haldimand |
| American Chestnut Castaneaa Dentata | 84 | 25 | 2021 J. Ambrose | Fonthill, Niagara Photo |
| American Chestnut Castaneaa Dentata | 64.00 | 26.00 | 1988 J. Ambrose | Burford (Tree is now dead) |
| Cucumber Tree Magnolia Acuminata | 137.00 | 19.50 | 1984 A. Butwick | Fenwick, Welland |
| Dogwoods | ||||
| Alternate Leaved Dogwood Cornus Alternifolia | 19 | 9 | 1987 R. Michell, Burlington Honour Roll | La Salle Park Burlington, west of pond |
| Eastern Flowering Dogwood Cornus Florida | 36.00 | 12.20 | 1977 D. Brown | Ne Of Thamesville |
| Eastern Flowering Dogwood Cornus Florida | 21 | 15 | Burlington Honour Roll | North Service Rd. E of Waterdown Rd Burlington |
| Elms | ||||
| Rock Elm Ulmus Thomasii | 63.00 | 20.40 | 1975 A. Butwick | Keene, Peterborough |
| Slippery Elm Ulmus Rubra | 150.00 | 26.80 | 1987 H. Lancaster | Bayfield, Huron |
| White Elm Ulmus Americana | 151.00 | 37.50 | 1975 R. Perkins | Nicolet Twp, Algoma |
| Black Gum Nyssa Sylvatica | 104.00 | 21.60 | 1976 D. Brown | South Of Strathroy |
| Hackberry Celtis Occidentalia | 119.00 | 21.30 | 1978 D. Brown | West Of Leamington |
| Hawthorns | ||||
| Cockspur Hawthorn Crataegus Crus-Galli | 50.00 | 10.00 | 1973 A. Butwick | Ancaster |
| Downy Hawthorn Crataegus Molis | 62.00 | 6.80 | 1986 G. Waldron | North Of Amherstburg |
| Hawthorn Spp Crataegus Spp | 51.00 | 9.30 | 1978 D. Brown | Amherstburg, Essex |
| Hickories | ||||
| Big Shellbark Hickory Carya Laciniosa | 54.00 | 23.30 | 1976 A. Butwick | Southwest Of Chatham |
| Bitternut Hickory Carya Cordiformis | 123 | 30 | Burlington Honour Roll | 121 Edgecliff Place, Burlington |
| Bitternut Hickory Carya Cordiformis | 111.00 | 29.00 | 1980 P. Rice | Burlington |
| Pignut Hickory Carya Galbra | 94.00 | 25.00 | 1973 M. Landon | East Of Simcoe |
| Shagbark Hickory Carya Ovata | 95.00 | 32.00 | 1974 M. Landon | Backus Woods St. Williams, Norfolk |
| Hop Tree Ptelea Trifoliata | 24.00 | 10.00 | 1982 J. Ambrose | Middle Island Lake Erie, Welland |
| Blue Beech Carpinus Caroliniana | 44.00 | 10.70 | 1979 A. Liptay | Kingsville, Essex |
| Ironwood Ostrya Virginiana | 91.00 | 17.70 | 1987 A. Mccormick | Southwold Twp, Elgin |
| Kentucky Coffee Tree Gymnocladus Dioicus | 92.00 | 23.30 | 1981 A. Butwick | West Street Simcoe |
| Honey Locust Gleditsia Tricanthos | 126.00 | 25.30 | 1980 H. Clement | North Of St. Davids Niagara |
| Maples | ||||
| Black Maple Acer Nigrum | 111.00 | 29.30 | 1976 W. Scott | Sombra Twp Sombra, Lambton |
| Manitoba Maple Acer Negundo | 136.00 | 16.00 | 1984 A. Mccormick | Zorra Twp, Oxford |
| Mountain Maple Acer Spicatum | 13.00 | 10.00 | 1998 S. Vasiliauskas | Dickson Lake Algonquin Park |
| Red Maple Acer Rubrum | 127.00 | 31.10 | 1977 A. Butwick | Squirrel Island, Lambton |
| Silver Maple Acer Saccharinum | 208.00 | 32.40 | 1982 A. Mccormick | Southwold Twp, Elgin |
| Striped Maple Acer Pensylvanicum | 27.00 | 16.80 | 1975 G. Cox | Presquile Provincial Park |
| Sugar Maple Acer Saccharum | 191.00 | 25.00 | 1973 A. Butwick | Comfort Maple, North Pelham |
| Red Mulberry Morus Rubra | 31.00 | 16.00 | 1984 J. Ambrose | Balls Falls Cons Area |
| Oaks | ||||
| Black Oak Quercus Velutina | 163 | 20 | 2023 P. O’hara | St John’s Rd E, Port Dover |
| Black Oak Quercus Velutina | 170.00 | 24.10 | 1978 D. Brown | Kingsville, Essex (Tree is now dead) |
| Bur Oak Quercus Macrocarpa | 212.00 | 29.30 | 1984 J. Chapman | Burfort Twp, Brant |
| Chinquapin Oak Quercus Muehlenbergii | 144.00 | 22.60 | 1977 D. Macleod | Near Fanshawe Dam London, Middlesex |
| Hills Oak Quercus ellipsoidalis | 115 | >25 | 2021 P. O’Hara | Tillsonburg |
| Pin Oak Quercus Palustris | 138.00 | 27.50 | 1986 G. Waldron | Memorial Park Windsor |
| Red Oak Quercus Rubra | 194.00 | 31.10 | 1984 A. Woodliffe | Harwich Twp, Kent |
| Swamp White Oak Quercus Bicolor | 155.00 | 24.00 | 1984 A. Mccormick | Delaware, Middlesex |
| White Oak Quercus Alba | 191.00 | 27.10 | 1976 ORCA | Otonabee, Peterborough (Tree is dead) |
| White Oak Quercus Alba | 144 | 27 | Burlington Honour Roll | 548 Allview Ave. Burlington. Germinated 1725 |
| Pawpaw Asimina Triloba | 23.00 | 7.30 | 1973 M. Landon | MNR Forest Station St. Williams, Norfolk |
| Poplar/ Aspens | ||||
| Balsam Poplar Populus Balsamifera | 140.00 | 31.00 | 1998 D. Thain | Armour Road Peterborough |
| Cottonwood Populus Deltoides | 265.00 | 35.40 | 1982 F. Scott-Pearce | Grand Ave West Chatham |
| Largetooth Aspen Populus Grandidentata | 69.00 | 28.10 | 1981 R. Michell | Burlington |
| Serviceberries | ||||
| Allegheny Serviceberry Amelanchier Laevls | 57.00 | 12.20 | 1980 D. Brown | Caradoc Twp. |
| Downy Serviceberry Amelanchier Arborea | 54.00 | 11.60 | 1979 W. Gilmour | Southeast Of Alberton Hamilton |
| Staghorn Sumac Rhus Typhina | 33.00 | 7.40 | 1950 W. Fox | Lake Huron Bluff Goderich |
| American Sycamore Plantanus Occidentalis | 263.00 | 29.90 | 1975 R. Campbell | Sydenham River Alvinston |
| Tulip Tree Liriodenderon Tulipifera | 158.00 | 27.10 | 1973 M. Landon | Normandale Cemetary Turkey Point |
| Walnuts | ||||
| Black Walnut Juglans Nigra | 180.00 | 27.40 | 1998 R. Craig | North Of Hwy 2 Cataraqui |
| Butternut Juglas Cinerea | 116.00 | 24.50 | 1975 S. Gayman | Short Hills Wilderness Area Niagara |
| Butternut Juglas Cinerea | 116 | 24 | Burlington Honour Roll | 3088 Balmoral St. Burlington |
An exact replica of the 2023 Big Trees list is found here. Many original champion trees are no longer with us, so this is partly an archival list, but I have merged it with a shorter list of modern champions.
If you’re interested in tree measurement, and identifying old trees take a look at the FIELD SURVEY FOR OLD FORESTS / TREES datasheets, which includes notes on tree measurement on the last page.