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A rare Kentucky coffeetree, often called “the tallest thing around” in a Cambridge neighbourhood, has taken home the 2025 Tree of the Year award.
This marks the third year for this yearly competition run by Tree Trust, a program created by Reep Green Solutions, an environmental charity. Waterloo region is one of several areas in southern Ontario holding their own contests. Others include Centre Wellington, Stratford-Perth and Meaford.
On Tuesday, Reep Green Solutions shared on social media that the winner – over 100 years old – is “a remarkable tree” and “a sight to be seen amongst neighbours, solidifying it’s place as a true landmark in Cambridge.”
“It’s the tallest thing around,” said a post describing the tree on the charity’s website.
This tree measures 30 metres tall and 116 centimetres across on Elgin Street.
The Kentucky coffeetree stands 30 metres tall and 116 centimetres in diameter and is “as big as the species gets,” said Reep Green Solutions. (Reep Green Solutions)
“The Elgin Street Kentucky coffeetree is about as big as the species gets, with few recorded that have reached a similar size,” their website mentioned.
The uncommon Kentucky coffeetree, which is considered provincially threatened, was one of five trees nominated in Waterloo region. It beat out a black walnut from Waterloo, a bur oak in Wilmot, a hackberry along Health Valley Trail near St. Jacobs and a red oak in Kitchener.
People were asked to vote throughout August.
The contest aims to raise awareness about how important trees really are, said Ashlynn Fleming, interim manager of tree programs at Reep Green Solutions.
“Sometimes people have what we call tree blindness,” Fleming told Cambridge Chronicle. “They might know that there are trees around but not really see them or think about the different benefits they’re providing.”
“In highlighting the over 100-year-old trees that we have around we’re hoping to raise awareness for why these trees are worth saving,” she said.
