Four trees in Miami Beach parks and a municipal parking lot earned Florida Champion status after the state certified them Aug. 12 as the largest or second-largest of their species.
City foresters requested state measurements
The city's Urban Forestry Division reviewed Miami Beach's tree inventory and invited the Florida Forest Service to measure four specimens. Foresters took measurements on Aug. 5, and the state certified the trees on Aug. 12, according to a city press release published Sept. 14.
Three trees rank as state's largest
Three trees earned the title of largest of their species in Florida:
- A 58-foot rubber tree (Ficus elastica) at the newly opened Bayshore Park, with a 109-foot canopy and a trunk circumference of 264 inches.
- A 48-foot sea grape (Coccoloba uvifera) in municipal parking lot 60 at 4000 Chase Ave., with a 72-foot canopy and a trunk circumference of 312 inches.
- A 40-foot pigeon plum (Coccoloba diversifolia) at the Miami Beach Golf Club, with a 34-foot canopy and a trunk circumference of 104 inches.
Gumbo limbo ranks second-largest statewide
A fourth tree, a 42-foot gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) in Flamingo Park, ranked as the second-largest of its species statewide. Its canopy stretches 53 feet.
Commissioner praises rubber tree's cooling effect
Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who championed the completion of Bayshore Park, said the rubber tree is "a true grande dame of Miami Beach" whose "enormous canopy creates a noticeably cooler world beneath it."
Research links large canopies to cooler streets
That cooling effect is backed by research. Florida International University (FIU) scientists found that trees can lower urban temperatures by as much as 10 degrees, with large, dense canopies producing more cooling than palms or ornamental trees, according to an FIU report published in August.
State registry has tracked champions since 1975
Florida's Champion Tree Register, established in 1975, recognizes the largest specimen of each species in the state. Champion status is scored by combining trunk circumference, height and average crown spread, according to a UF/IFAS Extension blog post. A Florida Forest Service county forester must verify the measurements before a tree is certified.
Mayor points to city's broader park system
Mayor Steven Meiner said in the press release that the city's beaches are only part of its story, pointing to 45 parks and the historic trees that shade them as evidence of a natural beauty that extends beyond the shoreline.
Tree giveaway planned Tuesday at Bayshore Park
The city's Urban Forestry team is hosting a free tree giveaway on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at Bayshore Park, 2530 Pine Tree Drive. 80 trees are available to Miami Beach residents on a first-come basis.
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