By Anna Syrell

Photo by Vince Crockenberg

Charlotte has a new silver maple champion! The tree, located on the property of Lauren and Dmitriy Akselrod at 1355 Church Hill Road, measures 181 inches in girth at breast height before branching off into three large trunks; with the left side trunk added, the tree measured 224 inches at breast height. Pictured left to right are Lilah, Nathaneal and Amelia Akselrod, with their dog, Stella.