By Vince Crockenberg, Charlotte Tree Tribe

Featured on the cover: Tom Cosinuke and Annie Kelton are the proud owners of a newly appointed champion apple tree. Photo by Vince Crockenberg

Tom Cosinuke and Annie Kelton are the proud owners of a newly appointed champion apple tree. Photo by Vince Crockenberg

The Charlotte Tree Tribe is pleased to announce a new champion tree, one not previously on the Hamilton Roster: an apple tree owned by Tom Cosinuke and Annie Kelton on Sanctuary Lane. Affectionately known by its owners as Old Craggy, the tree measures 101 inches in diameter—though at 3 feet rather than at 4 ½ feet (hence the asterisk). Deputy Tree Warden Sue Smith and I agreed that Old Craggy deserved a waiver of the standard requirements by virtue of living to what appears to be a grand old age.

If you have a candidate for champion status, including one for a species not yet on the roster, contact me or Sue to schedule a visit to confirm the tree’s identity and circumference.

A constantly updated Hamilton Roster, which includes information on where the current champion trees reside, can be also found on The Charlotte News website and on the town website.