2026 List of Atlanta’s Champion Trees

Each year, Trees Atlanta celebrates the city’s most exceptional trees through the Champion Tree Program. These towering and long-lived trees stand out not only for their size and species, but also for the history and character they bring to Atlanta’s neighborhoods, parks, and public spaces. As living landmarks, they remind us of the city’s rich urban forest and the generations of people who have grown alongside them.

Community members play a vital role in this program by nominating trees they believe deserve recognition. Think you know a tree that could be the next Champion? Submit your nomination to be reviewed for next year’s list, helping ensure Atlanta’s most remarkable trees are documented and honored.

Explore the current list of Champion Trees through our interactive tools:

View the interactive GIS map, where newly added Champion Trees are marked with a star for easy discovery.
Download the PDF to see the full list, with new additions highlighted in green.

Beyond their striking physical presence, Champion Trees embody the values of stewardship and conservation, connecting residents to nature and reinforcing the importance of protecting our urban tree canopy for future generations.

Open Interactive Map Download PDF List

Atlanta’s 2026 Champion Tree List includes:

10 new Champion Trees (5 in first place)
10 Georgia State Champions
3 nominated as State Champions
319 individual Champion Trees listed
130 total species represented

These numbers reflect the continued growth, diversity, and importance of Atlanta’s urban forest, highlighting the trees that define the city’s landscape and connect communities to nature.

Introducing Our New Champions…

The Champion Tree Program continues to recognize some of Atlanta’s most remarkable trees, and this year brings several exciting additions. Among the new Champion Trees are a Loblolly Pine in the Princeton Way area, known for its impressive height and classic conical form; a Southern catalpa in Vine City, celebrated for its large heart-shaped leaves and showy white flowers; and a Southern magnolia on Ormewood Avenue SE, which delights the neighborhood with its glossy foliage and fragrant blooms. These trees stand out not only for their size and beauty, but also for the character they bring to their communities, adding to the diversity and history of Atlanta’s urban forest.

Christopher Hesse, the homeowner who submitted the new Champion loblolly pine, shared that “When we moved in three years ago, we were immediately impressed by this massive tree. I never imagined she would become a Champion Tree, and I’m incredibly proud to have such a beautiful piece of Atlanta’s urban forest in our backyard.”

This year also welcomes two species to the Champion Tree list for the first time: the Common hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), prized for its delicate trifoliate leaves and clusters of small flowers, and the American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), planted on the Carter Center property in the meadow between the library and oak forest. The Chestnut carries a historical note, connecting the urban forest to conservation and heritage efforts in the city. Both species enhance the canopy’s richness and reflect the ongoing commitment to documenting and celebrating Atlanta’s remarkable trees.

The Chief Operating Officer at The Carter Center, Beth Davis, said when asked about the Champion American chestnut, “The restoration of the American chestnut tree was a passion of President Carter’s. He was fascinated by the science behind the restoration and its impact on conservation and ecological restoration. He helped coordinate a chestnut demonstration orchard at The Carter Center, regularly checking on the trees, which remain on our property today. But it was also personal to him. He once recalled chestnut trees growing in his yard when he was a boy, and that he could take the nuts to school to trade for ‘a couple of really nice marbles.’”

We thank all the homeowners, nominators, and community members who help us celebrate and protect Atlanta’s remarkable trees.

Photos: Champion American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) at the Carter Center; Champion Southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides); Champion Common hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata); Champion Loblolly pine (Pinus taesa) on Princeton Way; Champion Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) in Ormewood. All photos provided by Champion Tree nominators.

Honoring Champion Trees We’ve Lost

Since the last update to Atlanta’s Champion Tree List, several Champion Trees have been lost. These trees stood for decades—some for more than a century—and played an important role in shaping Atlanta’s urban forest. Though no longer standing, their legacy remains part of the Champion Tree Program and the communities they once shaded.

Among the Champion Trees lost are two long-recognized oak species that once ranked among the largest of their kind in the city, including a first-place Willow Oak and a second-place Southern Red Oak. These trees were remarkable not only for their size, but for their presence in the neighborhoods they served for generations.

Several Champion Trees originally nominated in 2012 and earlier were also lost, including notable trees located on Emory University’s campus and other long-standing sites across the city. These included a White Basswood, Bitternut Hickory, Loblolly Pine, and an Osage Orange—each recognized for its exceptional stature and contribution to Atlanta’s tree canopy. One especially rare loss was a Bottlebrush Buckeye, the only tree of its kind ever listed in the Champion Tree Program, first nominated in 2010.

While these Champion Trees are no longer standing, their documentation through the program ensures their significance is not forgotten. Honoring these trees reminds us of the importance of stewardship, long-term care, and continued investment in protecting Atlanta’s urban forest for future generations.

We are grateful for the years these Champion Trees stood as part of Atlanta’s urban forest and for the care and stewardship that helped preserve their legacy.

Gold Medal Volunteers

Trees Atlanta’s Champion Tree Program is a fully volunteer-driven effort, and this year’s work would not have been possible without the extraordinary dedication of its volunteer team. At the heart of the program is volunteer program leader Eli Dickerson, whose passion, leadership, and deep knowledge of Atlanta’s urban forest continue to guide and strengthen this work year after year.

Eli was supported by a committed group of volunteers who went above and beyond throughout the nomination, verification, and measurement process to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the Champion Tree list.

This year’s Champion Tree volunteers include: Eli Dickerson, Jasmin Theard, Howard Robertson, Christian Vick, Twig Quintal, Andrea Carmichael, Kayla Whyte, Adrian Cronin, Juliette Cooke, and Tracey Clark.

Their enthusiasm, attention to detail, and shared commitment to stewarding Atlanta’s tree canopy reflect the very spirit of the Champion Tree Program. The success of this year’s update is a direct result of their care, consistency, and willingness to show up—even beyond what was asked.

If you are interested in assisting with the Champion Tree Program or learning more about how volunteers support this work, please email volunteer@treesatlanta.org.