ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 1996 TAG: 9604290064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NORFOLK
SOURCE: Associated Press
A city tree is no longer top dogwood.
For seven years, a flowering dogwood in Bob Monheim's yard reigned as the nation's largest. But this month, the Norfolk man's tree was knocked from its position as National Champion Dogwood by a tree in North Carolina.
The new champion was discovered by A.J. Bullard, a retired dentist from Mount Olive, N.C. Bullard found the dogwood in an old cemetery.
With a trunk diameter of almost 3 feet, the tree ``just took my breath away,'' Bullard said. ``I stopped and observed it closer and realized it was a monster.''
Bullard had the dogwood certified by the National Register of Big Trees in Washington last August, but waited to announce his discovery until this month, when the tree reached its full glory. The American Forestry Association provides the winning tree with a registration certificate.
The 31-foot-tall North Carolina tree has a circumference of 114 inches and a crown spread of 48 feet. Using a formula that factors in the dimensions and crown spread, the North Carolina tree totals 157 points, 31/2 more than the Norfolk tree.
Both Virginia and North Carolina claim the dogwood's bloom as their state flower.
LENGTH: Short : 34 linesby CNB