What species are eligible for the National Register of Big Trees?
To be eligible for the National Register of Big Trees, a species must be recognized as native or naturalized in the continental United States, including Alaska but not Hawaii. (Species found only in Hawaii are not included.) Hybrids and minor varieties are excluded. There are 826 eligible species and varieties: 747 native and 79 naturalized. To determine eligibility, American Forests uses Elbert L. Little Jr.’s Checklist of United States Trees (Native and Naturalized), published in 1979 as U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Handbook 541. To find out if your tree species is eligible, Search the Register and type in the common or scientific name. You can double check by scrolling through the Register.
