The widest tree in the world. The tallest tree in the world. The name of the tallest tree in the world. Where do the tallest trees in the world grow?

12.03.2020

Trees play an important role in human life - they can be a source of food, building material, energy and other necessary things, and they are also the "lungs" of our planet. For this reason, they are under close attention and protection of ecologists - this is especially true for the highest representatives of the plant world, because the age of each of them is at least several hundred years. Interestingly, the tallest tree in the world and its brethren belong to the sequoia species (Sequoia sempervirens) and grow in only one place in North America.

In ancient Greek mythology, the name Hyperion was borne by one of the titans, and the literal translation of the name means "very high"

The tallest tree at the moment is considered a sequoia named Hyperion. It grows in southern California in the Redwoods National Park, height - 115.61 m, trunk diameter - about 4.84 m, and the age is at least 800 years old. True, after the top of Hyperion was damaged by birds, he stopped growing, and may soon lose the title to his brothers.

Trees higher than Hyperion are known in history. So, the report of the Australian inspector of state forests in 1872 tells about a fallen and burned tree, it had more than 150 m in height. The tree belonged to the species Eucalyptus regnans, which means regal eucalyptus.

Almost all giant trees have their own names.

Until August 25, 2006, another representative of the redwood genus named Helios, which also grows in Redwoods, was considered the tallest tree on Earth. He lost his status after park officials discovered a tree named Hyperion on the opposite side of a tributary of the Redwood Creek, but there is hope that he can bring it back. Unlike its taller brother, Helios continues to grow, and a few years ago its height was 114.58 m.

The tree got its name in honor of the legendary mythical hero due to the fact that it grows at a slight slope.

Closes the top three is another sequoia from the same California Redwoods National Park named Icarus. It was discovered on July 1, 2006, the height of the specimen is 113.14 m, the diameter of the trunk is 3.78 m.

There are only 30 groves left in the world where sequoias grow. This is a rare species, and environmentalists are trying to support it - grow it specially in British Columbia (Canada) and carefully protect nature reserves with sequoias.

In ten years, the tree grows by almost 1 cm.

This sequoia was found in 2000 (location - California, Humboldt National Park) and for several years was considered the leader in height among all plants in the world, until foresters and researchers discovered Icarus, Helios and Hyperion. The giant of the Stratosphere also continues to grow - if in 2000 its height was 112.34 m, and in 2010 it was already 113.11 m.

The tree is named after the American Geographical Society

A representative of Sequoia sempervirens with such an original name also grows in California's Redwoods Park on the banks of the Redwood Creek River, its height is 112.71 m, trunk girth is 4.39 m. Until 1995, the National Geographic Society was considered the leader among giants, but today it occupies only fifth place in the ranking.

TOP 10 tallest trees in the world on video

The exact location of the trees discussed above is carefully hidden from the general public - scientists are worried that a large influx of tourists to these giants will provoke soil compaction and damage to the branched root system of the sequoia. This decision is correct, because the tallest trees on the planet are rare specimens of the plant world, therefore, they need protection and protection.

The flora of our planet never ceases to amaze with its diversity. Trees have a special place. They have been growing on Earth since ancient times. Diversity in appearance, shape, habitat, size - all this makes a person examine them with special care. Sometimes you can meet real champions, for example, the tallest tree in the world. This will be discussed in this article.

Growth champion - general information Sequoia is the name of the tallest tree in the world. This is a coniferous tree, found for the most part only in the state of California (USA). It got its name in honor of the Indian leader who invented the Cherokee syllabary and became the founder of a newspaper in this language.

The local population, which is already accustomed to these giants, call this plant simply: "mahogany". Most of these giants are located in the Muir Forest, Redwood reserves and the Sequoia National Park. Among the giants, you can find both "age" and fairly young specimens.

Currently, the title of "The tallest tree in the world" belongs to a sequoia called "Hyperion". It has a height of more than 115 m, a diameter of 11 m and an age of about 800 years.

What is the tallest tree in the world? A bit of history

In ancient times, when the air humidity was greater, the sequoia was also found in today's territories of Japan, France, Svalbard and the New Siberian Islands. Also, the ice age significantly influenced the resettlement.

Until 1848, there was no exploitation of the forest of this tree. This is due to the large size of the plant, since it was difficult to fell it with an ax and even (later) with a saw. The beginning of the extermination of the unique forest is considered to be the "gold rush" that came to these territories in the same 1848. The US authorities took this tree under protection only after about half of these giants were cut down. Then the sequoia was declared public property.

Appearance

The crown of the plant has a conical shape. Sequoia branches grow mostly horizontally, less often with a slight downward slope. The bark of this giant is quite thick, it can reach 30 cm in width. To the touch it is fibrous and soft, when touched it seems as if the hand is immersed in it, while the sensations are very unusual. When the bark is removed, it is red-brown, but darkens after a while.

The tallest tree in the world changes its appearance with age. In "youth" (up to 100 years), it resembles a dark green pyramid. Branches tightly cover the trunk from the ground to the top.

Over time, its lower part is exposed, becomes thicker. The leaves are small, reaching a length of 15-25 cm. In a young sequoia, they grow elongated and flat, in centenarians, in the lower crown - with arrows, in the upper - scaly. The cones of these giants are small, no larger than a chicken egg, about 1.5-3.5 cm.

Pollination occurs at the end of winter, and after 8-9 months, up to 7 seeds ripen. They fall to the ground when the cone dries up and opens. It is expected that by 2017 the record holder will change again, and it will be the Helion sequoia, which now reaches 114 meters. This is due to the fact that the tree grows very quickly, which cannot be said about Hyperion with its top damaged by woodpeckers.

Age

Sequoia is not only the tallest tree in the world. It also beats the world records of the fauna of our planet by age. The plant is also called a "living fossil" or mammoth tree. On average, a sequoia lives from two to four thousand years.

The real record holder among representatives of this species is a tree with an age of 4484 years. It was established on the annual rings of a cut sequoia in 1965. In the pre-glacial period, the number of these plants was greater, perhaps even dinosaurs rested under them. Archaeologists have proven that the tree grew back in the Jurassic period.

The secret of the longevity of these giants is in their root system. It is shallow and widely branched. Due to this, when searching for water and other nutrients, it captures a large area. The special bark of the sequoia plays a significant role, it is very thick and contains chemical elements that repel various insects and other pests.

Sequoia National Park

It is located in the state of California and has an area of 1683 sq. km. The name was given due to its majestic inhabitants. It was formed in 1890 to protect these trees. It has a mountainous terrain.

The largest plants are under special protection, fenced and even have their own name. The most popular is the General Sherman tree. You can see him in the Forest of Giants. It is about 2 thousand years old, the plant reaches a height of 81 meters, and its circumference at the base is 32 meters.

Sequoia named after General Sherman continues to grow today, every year the diameter of the trunk increases by an average of 1.5 cm. Its wood would be enough to build a six-room house. Thanks to such amazing characteristics, the tree received the title of "largest".

The tallest tree in the world - the Hyperion sequoia - is located in another national park - Redwood. However, five out of ten record holders among plants for growth grow here. The national park is also known for other attractions. Here you can drive a car through a small tunnel cut in the middle of a sequoia that fell onto the road and blocked further movement. The park is also famous for its caves, of which there are more than 250.

living conditions

Sequoia needs high humidity, so it grows near the Pacific coast. The tree can be found at an altitude of 30-750 m above sea level. It grows both on the coast and in the mountain gorge. He loves fogs, from which he receives up to 30% of all the necessary moisture, which allows the tree to become taller and larger.

Despite their small number (only 500 specimens remain in the world), the tallest trees in the world are very viable. Around the huge stumps left from the cut down giants, you can always see young shoots, they also begin to grow instead of a broken branch or top. Usually the "new generation" is growing very fast.

Interesting Facts

It has been proven that the tallest trees in the world - sequoias - have the ability to purify the air of carbon dioxide better than other plants. Forest owners who have not cut down a significant part of them for a hundred years receive special compensation for lost profits. It's called a carbon credit. Fires are not destructive for this tree, its bark does not burn. On the contrary, they are of great importance for its survival.

The fire prepares the forest floor for germination and thins out the forest from other plants, allowing sunlight to reach the young shoots. The heat also causes the buds to open, causing the seeds to fall down to the ground. Sequoia will grow well in other conditions (some even try to plant it at home), but the process will be long, and it will not reach its majestic size, as in its natural habitat.

The tallest and largest trees in the world

These titles are transferred from time to time from one to another creation of nature. Sequoia is the absolute champion among all trees. However, do not ignore other plants. The giant eucalyptus from the dense forests of Tasmania is the tallest deciduous tree in the world. It reaches 101 meters. Experts have established that its age is 400 years, the plant was named "Centurion". He got into the Guinness Book of Records, because it is the tallest tree in the world among flowering.

Do not disregard another giant - a record holder, but already in the thickness of the trunk. This is a baobab, or adansonia palmate. In height, it grows only 30 m, but its diameter can reach 9 m. This plant does not have growth rings, which makes it difficult to determine its age. However, thanks to special analyzes, it has been proven that a tree with a trunk diameter of 4.5 meters is approximately 5,000 years old. Only the European chestnut can compete with the baobab. Since 1845, a tree with a trunk diameter of 20 m has been known.

The tallest tree in Russia

Our country also has its giants. These are Siberian firs. They grow up to 60-100 meters. The straight trunk of the tree is densely covered with branches, which makes it seem that the crown starts from the ground itself. In the Krasnodar Territory, the Nordmann fir is known, which, under favorable conditions, reaches 80 m in height. Even the common spruce, which grows throughout Russia, can stretch up to 60 meters. There is another tall tree - this is an 18-meter Siberian cedar, the girth of its trunk is 3 m, the age is 250 years. This evergreen coniferous tree is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the region. The maximum Siberian cedar can reach a height of 40 meters, since it grows up to 500 years.

His name is Hyperion. Hyperion is a sequoia. Specifically, the evergreen sequoia (Sequoia sempervirens). Among the giant trees there is a competition for the title of the highest on the planet. So, Hyperion was recognized as the highest in August 2006.

Sequoia To tell the truth, the trees themselves are, of course, unaware of their participation in such a contest. People are looking for the tallest, thickest, oldest, growing in extreme conditions, and so on. Let's get acquainted closer with the world of dendro-giants.

tree giants

There are not so many varieties of trees, whose height reaches sixty or more meters, on our planet. Botanists refer to them as common spruce and mountain pine, they grow up to 60-70 meters. False Lawson's cypress, known to many gardeners as Lawson's cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), in natural conditions can reach eighty meters in height. Fir: noble, Nordman, and also Douglas, otherwise called Menzies pseudo-hemlock. Douglas fir is the second tallest tree today, a height of seventy meters is not uncommon for it. The tallest specimen of the Douglas Fir living today is nicknamed "Doerner Fir", its height is 99.4 meters. The regal eucalyptus, which can grow more than a hundred meters, also has an impressive size.

Climbing the sequoias. Photo by Michael Nichols from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Climbing the sequoias. Photo by Michael Nichols from nationalgeographic.com However, the "yellow jersey" rightfully belongs to the redwoods. There are, in fact, evergreen sequoia (or red, Redwood) and giant sequoia (or sequoiadendron), whose representatives are also called mammoth trees for their gigantic dimensions. Sequoias are taller, but sequoiadendrons have a thicker trunk.

Sequoiadendrons - mammoth trees

General Sherman, Hyperion and Helios

As mentioned above, the evergreen sequoia named Hyperion is currently recognized as the tallest tree on Earth. The height of the tree growing in northern California in the Redwood National Park is 115.61 meters, the diameter of the trunk at the level of 1.5 meters is 4.84 meters. The age of the giant is about eight hundred years. Hyperion was “unlucky”: a woodpecker damaged his top, so the growth of the giant slowed down. Perhaps, very soon he will have to give way to another representative of the red sequoias - Helios. Helios continues to grow actively, and in 2015 its height was 114 meters 58 centimeters. But let the young compete in height. The largest tree on the planet is the giant sequoiadendron (Sequoiadendron giganteum), called General Sherman.

Sequoydendron General Sherman - the largest living organism on planet Earth

Sequoiadendron General Sherman - the largest living organism on planet Earth This outstanding mammoth tree, according to scientists, is almost 2700 years old. And although he is far from the tallest tree in the world (his height is only 83.8 meters), General Sherman is the largest living organism on our planet. Well, not counting Pando Grove (Utah, USA) - a clonal colony of aspen poplar, whose total weight is six thousand tons. Although it is a grove, it is considered to be a single organism. The weight of General Sherman is 1900 tons, the volume of wood is 1487 cubic meters, and the diameter of the trunk is 7.7 meters (at a height of 1.5 meters). For comparison: the volume of wood of a tall, but "skinny" Hyperion is only 502 cubic meters. No matter how tall the sequoias are, there is a limit to their growth. And this limit, surprisingly, is set by the laws of physics. Scientists have calculated that the growth of any tree on our planet cannot exceed 120-130 meters. The forces of gravity and friction of water against the pores of wood will prevent it from growing higher.

Sequoias and people

The authors of the famous "Golden Calf" Ilya Ilf and Evgeny Petrov wrote in "One-Story America" that "Americans are extremely practical people. There is a sign near the Sherman, where it is reported with the greatest accuracy that forty houses can be built from this tree alone, with five rooms in each house.

Lumberjacks and sequoias. Photo from https://gravgrav.com Lumberjacks and sequoias. Photo courtesy of gravgrav.com Sequoias are one of the oldest trees on earth. They widely grew on our planet even in the Cretaceous period (145 million years ago). The Ice Age significantly reduced the redwood forests in North America, and the remaining ones were thoroughly thinned out by the inhabitants of the New World: of course, they cut down one tree and built a whole cottage village. Now only three dozen groves of these giants remain - in Northern California on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Sequoiadendron seedling. Photo from the site https://4seed.jimdo.com Sequoiadendron seedling. Photo from 4seed.jimdo.com For those who love conifers and are interested in giants, you can get a real sequoiadendron in your area. It is possible to grow this relic plant from seeds or buy a ready-made seedling.

To date, the tallest tree in the world is the Hyperion sequoia.

The height of this tree is 115.6 m. The diameter of the trunk is 4.84 m. It grows in the USA, California. Approximate age 700 - 800 years. This tree was discovered in 2006 by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor. You will not find real photographs of this tree, since its location is kept secret.

In the modern world, only two types of trees are considered the tallest. These are eucalyptus trees that grow on mainland Australia, and North American sequoias.

The tallest tree in the world video:

The tallest tree among the eucalyptus.

Eucalyptus is the tallest evergreen flowering plant on the planet, belonging to the myrtle family, the genus is eucalyptus. They grow mainly in Australia and Tasmania. Australian eucalyptus trees are the tallest trees in the world. Their height can reach 100-150 m.

There was a time when the tallest tree belonged to the genus Eucalyptus. A specimen is known that has grown to 189 m. To date, the highest eucalyptus "Centurion", growing on the island of Tasmania and having a height of 101 m, and a trunk diameter of 4 m. It was discovered in 2008.

"Centurion"

"El Grande"

A huge eucalyptus called "El Grande" was discovered in 2002 on the island of Tasmania. Unfortunately, in 2003 he died due to a fire.

The tallest tree in the world is the sequoia.

The sequoia is one of the tallest trees on earth. This monotypic genus, which includes only one species of woody plants, belongs to the cypress family. The area of \u200b\u200bdistribution of this plant is the Pacific coast of North America.

Until 2000, the tallest tree was considered to be a sequoia belonging to the species - Sequoia sempervirens.

This Mendocino tree is 112.2m high and 4.19m in diameter. It is located in the USA, California.

The oldest tree - a clone on the planet - Tikko.

Old Tikko is a spruce that is 9550 years old. More precisely, this is the age of its root system. This tree is located on Mount Fulufjellet in Sweden. It is the world's oldest single living clone tree. It was discovered by Leif Kullman, a professor of physical geography, who named this tree after his dog. The visible part of the tree is young, but it is part of the old root system. Over thousands of years, a tree can clone itself many times. The old tree dies and a new one grows.

The oldest tree

Of the single trees, the oldest is Methuselah.

This spiny intermountain pine was discovered in 1953 by botanist Edmund Shulman. The approximate age of the tree is 4846 years. It was planted in 2831 BC. To date, this tree is considered alive and it grows in the Inyo National Forest in California (USA) at an altitude of 3000 meters above sea level.

The thickest tree is Thule.

This tree grows in Mexico, in the city of Santa Maria del Tule. The height of the tree is 40 m, the diameter of the trunk is 14 m, the circumference is 40, and the weight is 636 tons. If 30 people join hands, they can embrace this tree. On the trunk of this tree you can see the figures of animals: a lion, a crocodile, an elephant. This tree may have inspired the creators of the "Tree of Life" in the Animal Kingdom in Florida.

The mysterious "tree of life".

In Florida, in the Animal Kingdom Park, there is such a tree of life. The height of this tree is 44 meters. 12 craftsmen worked to create a tree that depicts many animals. The tree itself is artificial. There is a cinema inside it.

The loneliest tree is Tenere.

In the Tener desert, which is part of the Sahara, located in the northeast of Niger, until 1973, a lone acacia grew, which was 300 years old. Not a single plant grew in the vicinity of it for 200 km. For caravaners, the crown of the tree served as a guide in the desert. To extract water from the ground, the roots of the tree sprouted 36 meters down. Due to the fault of a drunk driver, this tree was broken. In its place now stands a metal monument resembling a tree.

Tree of Life"

In the Kingdom of Bahrain - a small Arab state, in the desert near the city of Jebel - Dukhan, the same lonely tree grows, as Tener once used to, but a living 400-year-old tree - Shajarat-al-Hayat. The tree belongs to the species Prosopis cineraria, whose roots go 50 meters underground.

Oldest oak - chapel

Thanks to the botanist Henri Gadot de Kervil, since 1932 this oak has been considered a historical monument of France. There is a possibility that the tree is over 800 years old. Its height is 15 meters, the circumference is 16 meters. Inside the oak there are two chapels, which are reached by a spiral staircase. Every year this chapel is visited by up to 40 thousand people.

Trees. Fight for life.

Socotra Island, Yemen.

Canada. Port of Renfrew. Small tree on a log.

City of Kalaloh. Washington.

Crimea. On the way to the Foros church.

The tallest tree in Russia is a fir - a coniferous tree belonging to the pine family.

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Height champion - general information

Sequoia is the name of the tallest tree in the world. This is a coniferous tree, found for the most part only in the state of California (USA).

It got its name in honor of the Indian leader who invented the Cherokee syllabary and became the founder of a newspaper in this language.

The local population, which is already accustomed to these giants, call this plant simply: "mahogany".

Most of these giants are located in the Muir Forest, Redwood reserves and the Sequoia National Park.

Among the giants, you can find both "age" and fairly young specimens.

Currently, the title of "The tallest tree in the world" belongs to a sequoia called "Hyperion". It has a height of more than 115 m, a diameter of 11 m and an age of about 800 years.

What is the tallest tree in the world? A bit of history

Until 1848, there was no exploitation of the forest of this tree. This is due to the large size of the plant, since it was difficult to fell it with an ax and even (later) with a saw.

The beginning of the extermination of the unique forest is considered to be the “gold rush” that came to these territories in the same 1848. The US authorities took this tree under protection only after about half of these giants were cut down. Then the sequoia was declared public property.

Appearance

The crown of the plant has a conical shape. Sequoia branches grow mostly horizontally, less often with a slight downward slope.

The bark of this giant is quite thick, it can reach 30 cm in width. To the touch it is fibrous and soft, when touched it seems as if the hand is immersed in it, while the sensations are very unusual. When the bark is removed, it is red-brown, but darkens after a while.

The tallest tree in the world changes its appearance with age. In "youth" (up to 100 years), it resembles a dark green pyramid. Branches tightly cover the trunk from the ground to the top. Over time, its lower part is exposed, becomes thicker.

The leaves are small, reaching a length of 15-25 cm. In a young sequoia, they grow elongated and flat, in centenarians, in the lower crown - with arrows, in the upper - scaly.

The cones of these giants are small, no larger than a chicken egg, about 1.5-3.5 cm. Pollination occurs at the end of winter, and after 8-9 months it ripens up to 7 seeds. They fall to the ground when the cone dries up and opens.

It is expected that by 2017 the record holder will change again, and it will be the Helion sequoia, which now reaches 114 meters. This is due to the fact that the tree grows very quickly, which cannot be said about Hyperion with its top damaged by woodpeckers.

Age

The real record holder among representatives of this species is a tree with an age of 4484 years. It was installed on the growth rings of a cut sequoia in 1965.

In the preglacial period, the number of these plants was greater, perhaps even dinosaurs rested under them. Archaeologists have proven that the tree grew back in the Jurassic period.

The secret of the longevity of these giants is in their root system. It is shallow and widely branched. Due to this, when searching for water and other nutrients, it captures a large area.

The special bark of the sequoia plays a significant role, it is very thick and contains chemical elements that repel various insects and other pests.

Sequoia National Park

The largest plants are under special protection, fenced and even have their own name.

The most popular is the General Sherman tree. You can see him in the Forest of Giants. It is about 2 thousand years old, the plant reaches a height of 81 meters, and its circumference at the base is 32 meters.

Sequoia named after General Sherman continues to grow today, every year the diameter of the trunk increases by an average of 1.5 cm. Its wood would be enough to build a six-room house.

Thanks to such amazing characteristics, the tree received the title of "largest".

The tallest tree in the world - the Hyperion sequoia - is located in another national park - Redwood. However, five out of ten record holders among plants for growth grow here.

The national park is also known for other attractions. Here you can drive a car through a small tunnel cut in the middle of a sequoia that fell onto the road and blocked further movement.

The park is also famous for its caves, of which there are more than 250.

living conditions

Fires are not destructive for this tree, its bark does not burn. On the contrary, they are of great importance for its survival. The fire prepares the forest floor for germination and thins out the forest from other plants, allowing sunlight to reach the young shoots. The heat also causes the buds to open, causing the seeds to fall down to the ground.

Sequoia will grow well in other conditions (some even try to plant it at home), but the process will be long, and it will not reach its majestic size, as in its natural habitat.

The tallest and largest trees in the world

These titles are transferred from time to time from one to another creation of nature.

Sequoia is the absolute champion among all trees. However, do not ignore other plants.

The giant eucalyptus from the dense forests of Tasmania is the tallest deciduous tree in the world. It reaches 101 meters. Experts have established that its age is 400 years, the plant was named "Centurion". He got into the Guinness Book of Records, because it is the tallest tree in the world among flowering.

Only the European chestnut can compete with the baobab. Since 1845, a tree with a trunk diameter of 20 m has been known.

The tallest tree in Russia

In the Krasnodar Territory, the Nordmann fir is known, which, under favorable conditions, reaches 80 m in height. Even the common spruce, which grows throughout Russia, can stretch up to 60 meters.

There is another tall tree - this is an 18-meter Siberian cedar, the girth of its trunk is 3 m, the age is 250 years. This evergreen coniferous tree is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the region. The maximum Siberian cedar can reach a height of 40 meters, since it grows up to 500 years.