State champion birch tree crowned in Howard County
FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ)
Howard County is now the home of a second state champion tree.
The Missouri Department of Conservation said Tuesday that it has crowned a champion river birch tree on private property near Moniteau Creek owned by Larry and Brenda Potterfield. Howard County was already home to a champion Osage-orange tree, also on private property.
The Potterfields own MidwayUSA, which manufactures guns, outdoor supplies and accessories in Columbia. The family bought the 270 acres in Howard County where the tree sits a few years ago, the department said in a news release.
River birches are typically medium-sized trees and are known for their distinctive peeling, papery bark. They grow along exposed streambanks and gravel bars, stabilizing soil and helping other species thrive, the conservation department says.
Mid-Missouri is home to several state champion trees, including the well-known bur oak champion tree near McBaine in Boone County.
