The longest tree. The thickest tree in the world
There are many tall trees around the world whose extraordinary height has been exaggerated and disputed. However, with the help of the latest measuring instruments, such as laser rangefinders and tape fall measurements, it was possible to find out the real height of the giant trees. Here ten tallest trees in the world, which remain unchanged while the world changes around them.
Almost all of the trees presented are so tall that it is simply impossible to photograph them in full. Dense vegetation also prevents this from happening.
The height of the tree is 112.20 m.
Located in Montgomery Woods (a nature reserve in the United States), Mendocino held the title of the world's tallest tree from 1996 to 2000. There are other redwoods growing near Mendocino, but when you look at them from above, the giant towers over its fellows the same way Arnold Schwarzenegger towers over the kids in the movie Kindergarten Cop.
Height - 112.56 m.
The tree, located in the John Davison Rockefeller Forest in Humboldt (USA), was considered the tallest tree on the planet until number ten in our ranking, that is, from 1995 to 1996. In terms of trunk diameter, it is inferior to Mendocino (3.9 meters versus 4.19 meters). And it was very difficult for researchers and simply curious people to find it, since there were no photographs or coordinates of Paradox at that time. Of all the giant trees known to date, Paradox stands out for its beauty.
Height - 112.6 m.
A neighbor of Paradox, also native to California's Humboldt Redwood National Park and the eighth longest tree on Earth. Named after the billionaire, famous not only for his fortune, but also for the number of years he has lived. Rockefeller's long, slender "body" invariably delights those who are lucky enough to see him. And this is not easy to do, since the exact coordinates of most of the tallest trees are kept secret (this is easier than protecting them from vandal tourists around the clock), and from below it is not so easy to distinguish Rockefeller from other sequoias. Its trunk diameter has not yet been measured.
Height - 112.62 m.
Once again, a “resident” of Humboldt Park made it into the top 10 giant trees. It was discovered by Paul Zinke and Al Strangenburger. Like other sequoias, Lauralin is an entire ecosystem, with birds nesting, insects living in it, lichen and other representatives of the local flora sprouting. It is noteworthy that the location of Lauralin is not hidden from the public.
Height - 112.63 m.
One of the tallest trees grows in California's Redwood National Park Finding Orion is a nearly impossible task because the tree giant is located right next to two other giant sequoias, although it is twice their size when viewed from above. Orion is about 1500 years old.
Height - 112.71 m.
A giant with a long name, belonging to the redwoods, was discovered in 1994. At that time, it was considered the largest known tree in the world and held this title for a year. The tree is located near Redwood Creek, but its exact location is being kept secret. In terms of trunk diameter, it is larger than Mendocino and Paradox (4.39 meters).
Height at the time of discovery - 112.34 m
This worthy representative of the tallest trees was found in 2000 in the Humboldt National Park. At that time the tree was 112.34 meters high, but it continues to grow. In 2010, it reached a height of 113.11 meters. Like all the other numbers in our hit parade, the Stratospheric Giant belongs to the redwoods and is blocked by many trees that are almost as tall. The exact location of the tree is hidden to prevent it from being damaged by overly active citizens.
Height - 113.14 m.
Coming in third on the list of longest trees is a sequoia discovered by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor in Redwood Park, California. Icarus got its name from its dead, sun-bleached “top of the head.” However, there are plenty of other trees in the Redwoods with dead tops, so it will be deliberately difficult to find Icarus, and the public is not told where exactly he is.
Height - 114.58 m.
Another tall sequoia tree found in Redwood Park by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor in July 2006. It is not much shorter than the competitor occupying the first line of the rating.
1. Hyperion – 115.61 m
Tops the top 10 tallest trees in the world. The volume of its trunk is 502 m³, and its age is estimated at 700-800 years. Tireless naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor discovered the tree in Redwood National Park and believe Hyperion might have been taller if not for woodpeckers. They damaged the trunk of the titanic tree at its very top. Hyperion was last measured in 2015.
Video version
Redwoods, also known as redwoods, are the tallest tree species on Earth. Representatives of the species “pretty fir” (aka Douglas fir) and eucalyptus in Australia could compete with them, but the largest of these trees were mercilessly cut down. By the way, the same fate awaited Hyperion, but fortunately for him, the Redwood Valley became Redwood National Park in the 70s of the last century and cutting down trees there was prohibited. There are currently hundreds of sequoias exceeding 100 m in height and no living trees of other species exceeding this height.
Although Hyperion is unsurpassed in trunk length, it is inferior in volume, weight and age to the redwood tree called General Sherman. The height of General Sherman is modest compared to other representatives of the tallest trees rating - 83.8 m, but the weight is a record 1900 tons, the trunk volume is 1487 m³, and the age reaches from 2300 to 2700 years.
Tallest tree in the world - Hyperion
Until August 2006, the title " tallest tree in the world" belonged to a giant 112.7-meter sequoia nicknamed the "stratospheric giant." It is located in Humboldt National Park in California. To give you some idea of the massive size of this tree, it is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, minus the foundation.
But the giant lost its status when two naturalists, Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor, came across a group of trees in Redwood National Park in California that were taller than any they had seen before. They took preliminary measurements using professional laser equipment, and found not one, not two, but three trees that were taller than the "stratospheric giant."
Hyperion means "very high"
The height of the tallest tree, named Hyperion, is 115 meters. If you have no idea how big Hyperion is, consider this: Big Ben in London is 96.3m tall, making it significantly shorter than this tree.
This gigantic redwood tree (sequoia) would have been even taller if not for the woodpeckers that damaged the very top of the trunk. This slowed Hyperion's upward progress.
When Atkins and Taylor announced their discovery, a team of scientists led by ecologist Steve Sillett of Humboldt State University arrived at the park to measure the find.
This was done in the most precise manner: Sillett climbed to the top of the tree to lower the tape from there directly to the ground. The descent of this tape was filmed for National Geographic.
Hyperion was very lucky: in the 70s of the 20th century, just a few hundred kilometers away, trees were being cleared down. About two weeks before a man with a saw would approach Hyperion, Redwood Valley became Redwood National Park. Logging companies feared this would happen and worked 24/7, harvesting valuable redwood timber and ruthlessly destroying the old-growth forests that had been there long before humans entered the valley. Most redwoods, from which the tallest trees grow, are less fortunate than Hyperion. To date, only 4% of America's redwood forests remain.
By mahogany standards, Hyperion is quite young and still growing. Sillett believes that the tree is “only” 600 years old, which is about 20 years by human standards.
Hyperion's exact location is kept secret by park rangers to avoid tourist crush near the tree. This can upset the delicate balance of the forest ecosystem and harm the tree. After all, tourists can not only admire the huge tree, but also chop off part of the bark “as a keepsake” or scratch something on it in the style of “Jack and Sally were here.”
As Sillett puts it, trees can't outrun the paparazzi like humans, and history teaches us that bad things happen to trees that become too popular.
It is not at all clear whether Hyperion is the tallest redwood tree or simply the largest sequoia known to us. After all, 96% of redwood forests fell victim to loggers.
Tallest tree ever measured
The tallest tree in the world, which was measured in the 19th century, is not a sequoia, but a mountain ash.
- In 1872, a report by Australian State Forests Superintendent William Ferguson mentioned a fallen and burnt Eucalyptus regnans (aka Eucalyptus regnans, aka mountain ash) that had height at least 132 meters.
- Around the same time, several 140 m tall specimens were recorded. Unfortunately, we cannot verify these measurements: all these trees were cut down. Rowan was and is an important building material in Australia.
The tallest living eucalyptus trees can be found in Tasmania. The height of the eucalyptus, bearing the proud nickname “Centurion”, is about 100 meters. It is the tallest living deciduous tree on Earth . It was discovered in October 2008 using a laser mounted on an aircraft, which measured terrain height, forest height and forest biomass.
How tall can a tree be
In an article entitled "Exploring the limits of maximum tree growth", Jonathan Amos of the BBC Science Department argues that the maximum the height of the tree can be about 130 meters.
As the tree reaches this point, it will pump less and less water and nutrients. There simply won't be enough for new growth.
There is no living tree in the world that will grow to 130 meters.
There are a very large number of tall trees on Earth. In different parts of the world there are trees that are called the tallest on the planet. In some cases, the sizes are exaggerated, but there are also trees that amaze the imagination with their dimensions. With the advent of new height measurement tools, more reliable information is becoming available about the true size of the world's largest trees.
Thanks to modern technology, people have been able to measure the true height of these colossuses of the plant world. Laser-based rangefinders, falling tape meters, etc. were used for measurement. Researchers have managed to formulate the ten tallest trees in the world, which are so huge that taking a full-length photo of them can only be done by climbing to a certain height. Many of these giants continue to grow.
Tallest tree in the world
The location of many trees remains a secret, so finding photos of them is very difficult. Despite the fact that Hyperion is the tallest tree in the world, its mass is far from the most impressive. According to this indicator, the colossal sequoia General Sherman is beyond competition. Despite the relatively small height (83.8 m), the General has a record weight of 1.9 thousand tons with a trunk volume of a phenomenal 1.5 thousand square meters. Scientists are confident that the General Sherman sequoia is at least 2.7 thousand years old.
Mendocino ranks tenth
Mendocino is one of the largest trees in America
A huge sequoia with a height of 112.2 m is located in the Montgomery Woods Nature Reserve in the United States. From 1996 to 2000 Mendocino was considered the tallest tree on the planet. There are quite a few redwood trees growing not far from the giant, but compared to Mendocino they look like a kindergarten teacher surrounded by children.
Paradox - ninth on the list
Paradox, height 112.5 meters
A tree 112.5 m high, located in a forest area owned by billionaire J. Rockefeller near the town of Humboldt (USA). The diameter of Paradox's trunk is 3.9 m, which is slightly smaller than that of Mendocino (4.19 m). Sequoia was discovered by accident; researchers who first saw the tree were amazed by its beauty. Paradox rises majestically above the forest, under its thick crown a company of soldiers can hide in the shadows.
Rockefeller - ranks eighth in the ranking
Rockefeller takes 8th position in the ranking
Another giant tree associated with a famous billionaire. Rockefeller is a 112.6 m tall sequoia located relatively close to Paradox in the Humboldt Redwood National Forest. The name in honor of the billionaire is symbolic - the tree is very old, just like the entrepreneur, respected in the United States.
Sequoia is distinguished by its height, slenderness and density of crown. Those who were lucky enough to see Rockefeller remembered him for the rest of their lives. By the way, seeing a tree is not so easy - the coordinates of all the colossi of the plant world are classified: this is one of the most effective ways to protect them from vandals. If a person walks through the park, he simply will not understand that in front of him is a giant. In terms of trunk thickness, the famous sequoia is not much different from its surrounding counterparts.
Lauralin - is in the seventh position of the top
Southern giant Lauralin
Sequoia with a romantic name and an impressive height of 112.62 m. This giant, like the previous one, “lives” in the American Humboldt National Park. The gigantic tree was found by biologists P. Zinke and E. Stragenburger. The researchers were amazed by the incredible beauty of the tree, which in fact constitutes a complete ecological system. From the roots to the crown, Lauralin is home to a wide variety of living creatures. Hares live at its foot, squirrels live in hollows on the middle floors, and birds build nests on the branches. In addition, the Lauralina ecosystem includes many species of lichens and insects.
This giant sequoia is not hidden from the public: those visiting Humboldt Park are sure to come to see the amazing tree.
Orion - a giant sequoia in sixth place
Orion - tree height is 112.63 meters
In the very center of the Redwood National Forest (California, USA), a gigantic sequoia called Orion grows. The height of this amazing creation of Mother Nature is 112.63 m. Orion was carefully hidden from prying eyes; it was very difficult to find him. The fact is that the giant is located next to two other huge sequoias: each of these trees is 2 times lower than Orion, but they are in no way inferior to it in thickness. You can only see the colossal difference between the sequoias from a considerable height. Orion is one of the oldest trees on earth, its age is 1.5 thousand years.
National Geographic Society - in fifth place
NGO. The height of the tree is 112.71 m.
A giant sequoia named after a United States NGO. The giant was discovered in the Redwood Creek valley in 1994. For a year, the tree was considered the tallest in the world. The exact coordinates of the gigantic plant are classified. The trunk diameter is 0.20 m larger than that of Mendocino.
Stratospheric giant - fourth on the list
The height of this giant was 113.11 m.
An impressive tree that looks like a huge skyscraper. The scientists who discovered this sequoia were amazed by its height: it seemed to the researchers that the tree was touching the clouds with its branches. Hence the name of the plant colossus.
The stratospheric giant was found in 2000 in Humboldt National Park, a nature reserve famous for its record-breaking redwood trees.
At the time of discovery, the tree had a height of 112.34 m, but its growth continued. In 2010, scientists re-measured the height of the sequoia. It turned out that the Stratospheric Giant had increased in height: its height was 113.11 m. The tree is surrounded by large fellows and it is only possible to understand how huge it is from above. The coordinates of the Stratospheric Giant are being hidden: this is how scientists are trying to protect the sequoia from vandalism.
Icarus took third position in the ranking
Icarus reaches 113.4 meters
Finally, we got to the top three. The famous sequoia Icarus has risen to the third place in the ranking. The tree was found by researchers M. Taylor and K. Atkins, who wandered around the California Redwood Park for several days.
Biologists noticed that the top of the sequoia was dry, as if it had been burnt out in the sun. Atkins recalled the Greek myth of Icarus, a young man who decided to fly to the sun but was burned along the way. This is how the tree got its name.
However, almost any tree in Redwood Park can be called Icarus. Due to solar activity, many of the redwood trees in the reserve have dead tops. Actually, “Redwood” is translated from English as “Red Forest”.
Finding Icarus on your own is problematic, and its coordinates are carefully classified.
Helios is second in the ranking list
Helios reaches 114.58 m.
In the summer of 2006, K. Atkins and M. Taylor undertook another research expedition in the Red Forest. Surprisingly, researchers were able to discover another giant sequoia. It was a 114.58 m tall tree. Shocked, Taylor and Atkins named the sequoia Helios in honor of the ancient Greek god of the Sun. This tree is only slightly inferior to the leader of our rating.
Hyperion is the tallest tree in the world and is in the top number one
Hyperion holds the record for all the tallest trees on the planet
So, we got to the tallest tree in the world. This is a unique Hyperion sequoia, growing in the same Redwood Park. Surprisingly, the restless K. Atkins and M. Taylor discovered Hyperion. After measuring the tree, it became clear that this incredible giant is a world record holder. Hyperion's parameters are amazing:
- height – 115.61 m;
- trunk diameter – 5 m.
Scientists believe that the age of the colossus is 800 years.
Chris and Michael are confident that the Hyperion sequoia could have reached even greater heights, but the tree was attacked by woodpeckers. A huge number of birds settled in the branches of the giant plant, damaging the trunk. Despite the titanic power of the tree, the woodpeckers turned out to be stronger - the growth of the sequoia slowed down.
Video: the tallest sequoia tree from the cypress family
Sensation: despite the gigantic size of the tree, its leaves reach only 2 cm in length, and the root in the ground reaches only half a meter!
Sequoia is the tallest tree species in the world
Readers have already realized that the tallest tree in the world is the sequoia. This species is also called “mahogany”. Douglas fir (another name is “pretty fir”), as well as Australian eucalyptus trees, could compete with these colossi. Unfortunately, the tallest representatives of these two species were destroyed.
Sequoia Hyperion could also go under the saw, but in the 70s. In the 20th century, American authorities drew attention to the outrages of loggers in Redwood National Park and cutting down redwood trees in this area was strictly prohibited. Severe sanctions began to be applied to black lumberjacks, fined and even sent to prison.
The measures worked: in our time, many gigantic sequoias grow in the “Red Forest”. According to scientists' latest estimates, there are 100 trees in the Redwoods that are more than 100 meters tall. All of these are sequoias; representatives of other species, unfortunately, do not overcome the hundred-meter mark.
Until the summer of 2006, the status of the tallest tree in the world was held by the “Stratospheric Giant” sequoia in Humboldt Park. This colossus is twice the size of the Statue of Liberty.
It seemed that the tree simply could not be taller, but biologists K. Atkins and M. Taylor proved that this is far from true. Wandering through California's Redwood Park, they discovered a group of giant trees, among which was an incredible colossus that looked like a skyscraper. After measurements with laser equipment, it turned out that the found tree was almost a meter taller than the “Stratospheric Giant”. Moreover, the nearby “comrades” of the giant also exceeded the size of the previous record holder of the plant world.
The tallest tree in the world is called Hyperion. This colossus is almost 30 meters higher than London's Big Ben.
The measurement of Hyperion was carried out by ecologist Steve Sillett, seconded to Redwood Park by National University. Humboldt. Sillett, using climbing equipment, climbed to the top of the sequoia and lowered the tape from there. The NG television company recorded what was happening on film: the film can be viewed on the Internet. After measuring the tape, it turned out that the height of the tree is 115 meters.
Hyperion can be called a lucky tree. In the seventies of the last century, Redwood was an ordinary forest in which lumberjacks operated with might and main. Gigantic pines fell one after another, they were sawed into fragments and taken away on large trucks. Hyperion was scheduled to be cut down, but about 2 weeks before the colossus was to be defeated, the US government declared Redwood a national park.
The sawmills knew full well that Redwood was being recognized as a park, so they worked tirelessly with their chainsaws. Sequoia wood is one of the most valuable in the wood processing industry; companies received hundreds of thousands of dollars for one giant cut down.
Trees, many of which were hundreds of years old, were destroyed on an industrial scale. People could well have destroyed one of the undoubted treasures of humanity - the Redwood redwood forest.
Unfortunately, hundreds and even thousands of trees have not been as lucky as Hyperion. Currently, redwood forests account for only 4% of all green areas in the United States.
Hyperion is quite young for a plant of its kind: this tree has not yet finished growing. According to Sillett, the giant is no more than 800 years old (for comparison, the Orion sequoia has been on our planet for 1.5 thousand years).
Compared to human life, Hyperion is now 20 years old, essentially a tree-youth. The caretakers of Redwood Park have strictly kept the giant's coordinates secret. American scientists hope that the young tree will continue its growth, setting new incredible records.
In addition, tourist trips to Hyperion will certainly lead to disruption of the Redwood forest ecosystem. The tree itself will also suffer: surely among tourists there will be those who like to put a “memorable” inscription on the tree or chop off a piece of bark.
According to Sillett, redwoods are a kind of “movie stars,” but they can’t escape the paparazzi like their human counterparts. History has already shown that the popularity of giant sequoias leads to sad consequences.
History of measurements of giant trees
It is impossible to say whether Hyperion is the tallest tree of the last 100-200 years. People began to become interested in this topic relatively recently and no data has been preserved. In addition, 96% of redwood trees are destroyed by logging companies.
In 1872, William Ferguson, an employee of the Australian State Forestry Inspectorate, informed the authorities about the discovery of a fallen Eucalyptus regnans (a regal eucalyptus, a close relative of the familiar mountain ash). The tree had colossal dimensions. The visiting scientists took measurements and reported that the length of the eucalyptus was 132 meters.
After this, several more eucalyptus trees up to 140 meters high were found in Australia. Unfortunately, there is no way to confirm this data: the gigantic trees were cut down by loggers.
Eucalyptus wood turned out to be almost the only building material for Australian settlers.
There are almost no eucalyptus trees left in Australia these days, but they are found in Tasmania. For example, the famous Centurion eucalyptus is 100 meters high. The uniqueness of Centurion is that it is the tallest deciduous tree on our planet. The eucalyptus was found in the fall of 2008 by the laser of an aircraft searching for dominant heights in the area.
Tree height limit
In 2001, the English scientist D. Amos published an article in one of the authoritative scientific publications on the maximum growth of trees. The researcher conducted a series of experiments which, according to him, convincingly prove that the maximum height of a tree is 130 meters. After this mark, the plant will not be able to deliver the nutritional composition obtained from the soil to the crown, and its growth will stop.
Amos' theory has not yet found practical confirmation: there is not a single tree in the world 130 meters high.
Scientists agree that the thickest tree in the world is the African baobab. Although its scientific name sounds somewhat strange and unusual - Adasonia digitata. The first part of the “name” perpetuates the name of the French naturalist Michel Adanson, who discovered and described this plant, and the second part - the shape of the leaves, reminiscent of outstretched fingers. So, it turns out, everything is natural and understandable.
Old-timers of the savannah
In addition to the fact that baobabs are listed first on the list of “fat people”, they also lay claim to the title of the oldest trees on the planet. It is very difficult to determine the exact age of a tree, since due to continuous growth it does not have annual rings in the section of the trunk. The range of data from different researchers may differ by several thousand years - from 1000 to 5000 thousand years. Impressive! The baobab grows only 2-3 cm per year, and one can only guess what kind of dinosaurs and how many these majestic giants of the savannah have seen in their lifetime.
Not only the baobab’s age records are impressive, but also its visual proportions. An adult tree, as a rule, grows no higher than 20-25 m, but in diameter it can reach up to 9 m. If you do a quick calculation of the cross-sectional area, you will get a whole dance floor measuring 60 sq.m. The largest dimensions recorded in the history of observations had a trunk with a girth of 54.5 m.
Tenacious but fragile
The ability of centuries-old giants to survive in arid conditions is largely explained by the structure of their root system. Thick, knotty roots literally bite into the ground, entangling it in an invisible underground web. Extending for several tens of meters, they absorb the slightest moisture encountered along the way, accumulating it in reserve.
A tree trunk is also a kind of living reservoir. The loose and porous structure of wood is capable of absorbing and retaining water for a long time, like a sponge. During the dry period, an interesting picture can be observed - the trunks of the baobabs gradually lose weight, decreasing in volume due to loss of moisture. And if you hit it with your fist, a dent will form in this place. Powerful and strong fibers, which hold the softened “structure” in a stable position, help to stay vertically and evenly above the ground.
Surprisingly, even baobabs dumped on the ground calmly take root and continue to grow. You can also envy their fire resistance. Even burned and severely damaged bark is able to recover and heal the wounds caused by the fire. Giant trees behave unusually even after “death”. They simply crumble, leaving behind a pile of bark and fibers that gradually becomes level with the soil surface.
Pistil-flowers
Oddly enough, the baobab blooms precisely during periods of drought. Completely bare branches are covered with large flowers, vaguely similar to cotton. The fluffy roses can reach 20 cm in diameter, exuding a pleasant, but rather peculiar aroma. Flowers open in the late afternoon or at night, so bats act as their pollinators. And if local residents have long been accustomed to such a picture, then for tourists the process of pollination turns into a real enchanting spectacle. By morning, the spherical flower buds wither and fall to the ground.
Food is served
Baobab is a kind of waste-free “breadwinner”, used by the local population, as they say, both in tail and mane. The bark of the tree is used to make paper, fishing gear, various household utensils (bags, baskets, furniture) and even clothing. And all thanks to the extraordinary strong and durable fiber, which can withstand heavy loads and not wear out for years.
Leaves and fruits are actively used in cooking. A lot of dishes are prepared from them by boiling, frying, steaming and baking in ovens. Young baobab sprouts taste like green asparagus, and the “insides” of ripe fruits are somewhat similar to fluffy marshmallows. The pulp is also used to make a tasty and healthy drink, which is served chilled and invigorating like lemonade.
By the way, many animals are not against eating the ripe fruits of the fat tree. Monkeys especially liked their sour taste, which is why the baobab received a characteristic nickname among the common people - monkey bread. Elephants do not pass by delicacies either, eating not only leaves and branches, but also trunks.
Everything will be useful on the farm
Since the core of the baobab trunk is very loose, it creates a favorable environment for the proliferation of various fungi. As a result, large internal cavities are formed, where you can not only stand up to your full height, but also accommodate several people at once. In Kenya, travelers are offered a mini-hotel equipped with places for sleeping and eating inside. In Zimbabwe, one tree was “rebuilt” into a bus station for 40 people, and in Botswana they did something even more original, making a prison out of a baobab tree. African villages often use stem “tunnels” to store grain, pet food, water and other household needs.
So, the fat and clumsy, branchy giants of the desert do not suffer from a lack of human attention, which once again proves that happiness does not lie in beauty.
Have you ever heard about extraordinary record-breaking plants?
Plants surround us almost everywhere. They are familiar to us, but never cease to amaze with their contrast. Some plants are beautiful, others evoke feelings of disgust and even fear. Some are almost invisible, others are striking in their size. The plant world is a beautiful and interesting world. We will talk about the most outstanding representatives of this world.
The largest tree in the world
What do you think is the heaviest living organism on Earth? An elephant? No. This title, like the title of the largest tree, is held by the sequoiadendron. “General Sherman” (this is the name this tree bears) has been growing in the United States for 2,500 years! During this period, the sequoia reached a height of 84 meters. The diameter of its trunk is 11 meters, and the base is 31.3 meters. And its weight is equal to the total weight of more than 300 average elephants - 1910 tons!
Tallest tree
In this nomination, the “brother” of “General Sherman” - the sequoiadendron nicknamed “Hipperion” - takes its place of honor. The height of this giant is 116.2 meters.
However, the regal eucalyptus is called the record holder of all time. His homeland is Australia. When the eucalyptus was cut down in 1872, its length reached more than 150 meters.
Rainbow eucalyptus trees are also considered to be among the tallest trees in the world. The height of individual trunks is 100 meters. Although the uniqueness of these trees also lies in their unusual colors.
Longest tree
Palm rattan rightfully bears this title. Its length reaches 300 meters. The shape of rattan is more like a vine that entwines other trees with the help of thorns covering its leaves.
The largest crown
Some tree species have the ability to grow horizontally, creating large crowns. In particular, this feature is inherent in many ficuses. This life form is called banyan. The "Great Banyan" grows in the Indian Botanical Garden. Its crown area is 1.5 hectares.
The oldest tree
The bristlecone pine, nicknamed Methuselah, grows in the mountains of North America. At the moment, her age is 4,844 years. If “Methuselah” manages to hold out for another 19 years, then it will be able to break the record of its fellow “Prometheus”.
The thickest tree (the thickest trunk)
The tree with the thickest trunk is Taxodium Mexicana (cypress). Its homeland is the city of Santa Maria del Tule. The diameter of the cypress trunk reaches 11.62 meters. Its girth is more than 35 meters.
Fastest growing plant
Bamboo grows the fastest on Earth. More precisely, all plants of this family. However, the fastest-growing plant is the edible psyllium. Representatives of this species are capable of growing 40 cm per day.