The largest tree on earth. Plants - champions

Trees on planet Earth appeared long before the emergence of mankind, later people began to widely use wood in Everyday life for construction and other economic purposes. These representatives of the flora differ from each other in height, shape, habitats, and for many centuries they have not ceased to amaze with their diversity. It is possible that many have thought about the name of the tallest or largest tree in the world, then the information below will be of interest to the reader.

General characteristics of giant plants

Eucalyptus, sequoia and fir dominate among examples of gigantic sizes, individual specimens can reach a height of several tens of meters. Growth is influenced by many factors, the main of which are considered average temperature for the year and its fluctuations, the distance to the ocean and the elevation of growth above sea level.

High record holder

The overall winner in this category is the Hyperion tree, which grows in Redwood State Park in California.

In 2015, the height of the tallest tree in the world was recorded at 115.61 m, after which it received the title of the tallest tree on Earth that is currently growing. Belongs to the genus of evergreen sequoia (Sequoia sempervirens) of the Cypress family, maximum age whose representatives are up to 2000 years old.

The record holder was discovered in August 2006, when 2 naturalist botanists, Michael Taylor and Chris Atkins, decided to take measurements from this specimen. It turned out that its height was then 115.55 m, and in 2015 the diameter of the trunk at the level of 1.4 m from the ground was 4.84 m. Experts estimate the volume of wood at 502 cubic meters; 800 years.

Outwardly, it looks strictly and concisely - a conical crown and a slender trunk. The bark is thick, has a red-brown hue, its width can vary up to 30 cm.

The management of the national park decided not to disclose the exact place where this greatest attraction grows, out of fear that a lively flow of tourists from all over the world could cause irreparable damage to the natural ecosystem surrounding Hyperion.

Specialists during a recent examination of the upper part of the trunk noticed damage caused by woodpeckers. Unfortunately, they do not allow Hyperion to grow further, growth can only continue in width, so the other participants in the ten tallest trees have every chance to soon overtake the current winner of this category.

According to Wikipedia, there are now 15 modern trees over 110 m high.

Huge giant

"General Sherman" is the name of the largest tree in the world, which is considered to be a representative of the giant sequoiadendron.

It grows in the American Sequoia Grove in California, has the nomination "The largest in terms of volume and mass that grows on Earth today."

This is the heaviest living form of life, which has truly colossal parameters, and the annual growth in width, according to experts, is 1.5 cm:

height - 83.8 m;
trunk circumference at ground level - 31.3 m;
diameter at the base - 11.1 m;
crown span (average value) - 32.5 m;
total weight - 1910 tons;
barrel weight - 1121 tons;
barrel volume - 1487 cubic meters;
age - within 2300-2700 years (according to Wikipedia). However, there are a number of versions proving that it is no more than 2000 years old.

In 1879, the botanist James Wolverton named this giant tree after William Tecumseh Sherman, the famous US general, under whose leadership he happened to serve for several years. Later, in 1931, experts found that this particular specimen is considered the most powerful in the world.

The "Giant Forest", where this award-winning winner has grown for millennia, is now a popular tourist spot where you can take great souvenir pictures against the backdrop of a huge sequoia.

Researchers have established Interesting Facts, which say that it is possible to build a house with 6 rooms from the wood of "General Sherman", and the volume of oxygen that it forms is almost 120 kg per year, which is enough for 3-4 people.

January 2006 for a huge trunk was marked by the loss of a large branch, the diameter of which was equal to 2 m, and the length was almost 30 m. When it fell, it ruined the fence and the road. None of the park staff saw the incident, it is believed that this is a protection from unfavorable weather conditions. But, even having lost this part, the tree still holds its title further.

Giants in Russia

It is difficult to say exactly which tree is the tallest in Russia, because the country does not have an official register of botanical winners. However, on the territory of the federation, forests occupy a significant part of the land, so almost every region or region has something to surprise in terms of flora record holders.

The highest representatives of the country

Fir - evergreen conifer tree of the Pine family, widely found in the taiga of Siberia, can reach a height of 60-100 m and a diameter of 1.5-2 m. It has a straight trunk and many branches, starting from the very base. Siberian cedars can also be classified as high, which can be just below 40 m tall.

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People have lived next to trees throughout their history. The tree provides shade when it's hot, shelter from lies, wood for a fire, wood for bumga and much more. Therefore, trees have attracted the attention of people for a very long time. And the tallest tree in the world, respectively, attracts the most attention. This is what our post today will be about.

The flora of the Earth impresses with its diversity and magnificence. However, a special place is usually given to trees that have been growing on the planet since ancient times. Great amount species, shape, size and habitat. All this was the reason for the study of trees with special care. Among them there are real champions, in particular, in height. The tallest tree in the world is just such a record holder. It's time to get to know him better.
Most of the tall champion trees grow in America. First of all, these are sequoias, the location of which is usually kept secret. Among them there are young giants, as well as many centenarians.

Watch this wonderful video from the National Geographic channel to appreciate the power and height of these amazing trees:

The tallest trees in the world, sequoia coniferous trees, are distributed mainly in California - the famous american state. There are several contenders for the first place, but in 2006 the sequoia, called Hyperion, was recognized as the tallest tree in the world, with a height of more than 115 meters and a diameter of about eleven meters. Hyperion is about 800 years old.

Prior to the discovery of Hyperion, the sequoia Helios held the lead. Now this tree has moved to the second position. The following places are occupied by the sequoias Icarus and the Giant of the Stratosphere. It is possible that in the future, ecologists and naturalists will discover taller trees. Then the title of the tallest tree in the world will go to them.

What does the tallest tree in the world look like - a sequoia

The crown of this amazing representative flora has a conical shape. Most branches grow horizontally, sometimes with a slight downward slope. Sequoia bark is very massive with a thickness of up to 30 cm, but at the same time soft and fibrous to the touch. When touched, an unusual sensation is created that the hand is immersed in it. The bark removed from the tree has a red-brown color, and darkens over time. With age appearance sequoia is changing.

Until about a century old, it is a kind of pyramid of dark green color, densely covered with branches from top to bottom. Over time, the entire lower part of the tree thickens and becomes bare. The leaves of young sequoias are flat and elongated. Their length reaches 25 cm. The leaves of long-lived trees are scaly in the upper part, with arrows below. The cones of these giants are characterized by rather modest sizes - up to 25 cm long.

Sequoias also differ in solid age. For this they are called mammoth trees or "living fossils". Archaeologists have proven that in the pre-glacial period, the number of these trees was very large and dinosaurs walked under them. Their average life span can be up to four thousand years. The record holder in this regard is the sequoia with a lifespan of 4484 years, which was determined by the growth rings of a sawn tree. The main secret of sequoia longevity is a widely branched surface root system, capturing vast areas in search of nutrients and water. In addition, the powerful bark of the tree contains chemical elements that repel pests.

However, the mammoth tree is not the oldest - the life expectancy of some varieties of pines and spruces is even longer. In particular, the age of the Canadian spruce growing in Sweden is approximately 9550 years old. This is the age of the ancient spruce, which was "reborn" in the form of a "clone".

The concept of the big tree in the world includes not only height indicators. The volume of the trunk and branches is also taken into account. According to these parameters largest trees are redwoods, growing mainly in America. In particular, there is a similar giant in the California National Park and is called "General Sherman". This general is distinguished by a height of 84 meters and an age of about 2200 years. Meanwhile, the tree continues to grow.

Sequoias are the undisputed champions in size. However, other majestic plants are worthy of attention.
In the dense forests of Tasmania, the giant eucalyptus "Centurion" grows. Its height is 101 meters, it is the record holder among deciduous trees. Experts have established its approximate age - about 400 years. In the Guinness Book of Records, this eucalyptus is listed as the tallest tree in the world, but already from flowering trees.

Another champion, but already in terms of the thickness of the trunk, is the baobab (Adansonia digitata). The diameter of the trunk of a thirty-meter baobab can reach 9 meters. Only the European chestnut can compete with it. Since the nineteenth century, a representative of this species has been known, the trunk diameter of which is an incredible 20 meters.

The tallest trees in Russia

First of all, these are Siberian firs, growing up to a hundred meters. Their straight trunk is covered with a dense layer of branches growing directly from the ground. Also, Nordmann fir reaches high heights up to 80 meters. This tree is found in Krasnodar Territory.

Norway spruce will grow up to sixty meters. There are giants among the forest beeches.
One of the tallest and most beautiful evergreen conifers is considered Siberian cedar reaching forty meters.
There is also a famous sequoia in our country - in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden near Yalta. It lags behind the California relatives and has a height of about thirty meters.

The tallest tree in the world - interesting facts

The most giant sequoia trees on Earth - possess unique ability air purification from carbon dioxide. Interestingly, this property is much more effective than other plants. Owners of sequoia plantations, for refusing to cut them down - for lost profits receive a certain compensation, which is called a carbon credit.
Fire is not fatal to sequoia, whose bark does not ignite. Fire, on the contrary, prepares the nearby soil for the germination of young shoots, clearing it of other plants. Also, under the influence of heat, the cones quickly open, the seeds of which fall into the ground.
Sequoia can grow well in almost any environment, but the process will be very slow and its height will not reach the height of its natural habitat.

As you can see, the tallest tree in the world also holds the record for other parameters. Well, we can only be glad that humanity has such wonderful neighbors in the plant world. Stay tuned and find out more!

The red sequoia is the tallest tree in the world. The length of its trunk can exceed 110 meters (for comparison: the pyramid of Cheops - 138), diameter - 7 meters. The age of the oldest plants reaches 2 thousand years. because of humid climate The place of natural growth of the sequoia was the Pacific coast of the United States, from California to Oregon. It is believed that these trees have existed here for the last 20 million years, and appeared on Earth at least 160 million years ago. To date, the tallest sequoia in the world is Hyperion (115.61 meters), the growth of which was stopped by a woodpecker that damaged the trunk at the top.

Tourists drive through a tunnel in the trunk of a red sequoia. Photo: Peter I. Palmquist/Humboldt State University Special Collections

The development of the region coincided with the period of the gold rush and the influx of prospectors to California. Having lost hope of getting rich on gold mining, many settlers switched to forestry. At the time, experienced lumberjacks were earning up to $125 a month (about $3,000 today).

AT late XIX For centuries, trees were cut down not only for income: the Mark Twain sequoia, about 10 meters in diameter, was cut down in 1891 to send the cuts to the American Museum natural history in New York and the British Museum in London. They are exhibited there today.

In less than a hundred years, 96% of the trees have been cut down.

In 1850, the area of the relic redwood forest in California was 8,100 square kilometers (comparable to the area of Cyprus). In less than a hundred years, 96% of the trees have been cut down. Today, the red sequoia grows here on a strip about 750 kilometers long. Slightly less than half of the remaining forest is national park Redwood and State Park.

Caught on the verge of extinction, the sequoia has become a tourist attraction. Those wishing to see giant trees today can walk along one of the routes in the Redwood Park and merge with nature by spending the night in a room inside a 42-ton log.

Sequoia "Mark Twain", the diameter of which exceeded 10 meters. Photo: Peter I. Palmquist/Humboldt State University Special Collections

The flora of our planet never ceases to amaze with its diversity. Special place given to trees. 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.

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 and national park"Sequoia".

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 start of the extermination unique forest it is considered that 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 bumps of these giants are small, no more 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

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 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

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 coast Pacific Ocean. 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.

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 have great importance for his survival. Fire prepares forest floor for germination and thins the forest from other plants, providing access to sunlight to 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 natural environment a 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.

On Earth there is a very a large number of tall trees. AT different parts around the world grow trees that are called the highest on the planet. In some cases, the dimensions are exaggerated, but there are also trees that amaze the imagination with their dimensions. With the advent the latest tools height measurement provides more reliable information about true size most big trees in the world.

Thanks to modern technology people were able to measure the true height of these colossi of the plant world. Laser-based rangefinders, falling tape meters, etc. were used for the measurement. The researchers managed to form the ten tallest trees in the world, which are so huge that you can only take a “full-length” photo of them by rising to a certain height. Many of these giants continue to grow.

The tallest tree in the world

The location of many trees remains a secret, therefore, it is very difficult to find their photo. 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 out of competition. Despite the relatively small height (83.8 m), the General has a record mass of 1.9 thousand tons with a trunk volume of phenomenal 1.5 thousand tons. square meters. Scientists are sure that the sequoia General Sherman is at least 2.7 thousand years old.

Mendocino takes tenth position

Mendocino is one of America's largest trees.

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. Not far from the giant, a lot of sequoias grow, but, compared to Mendocino, they look like a teacher kindergarten surrounded by kids.

Paradox is ninth on the list

Paradox, height 112.5 meters

Tree 112.5 m high, located in woodland owned by billionaire J. Rockefeller near the town of Humboldt (USA). The diameter of the Paradox trunk is 3.9 m, which is somewhat smaller than that of Mendocino (4.19 m). Sequoia was discovered by accident, the researchers who saw the tree for the first time were amazed by its beauty. Paradox rises majestically above the forest, under its dense crown a company of soldiers can hide in the shade.

Rockefeller - occupies the eighth position in the ranking

Rockefeller occupies the 8th position in the rating

Another giant tree associated with the famous billionaire. Rockefeller is a 112.6 m tall sequoia located relatively close to Paradox in the Humbold Redwood National Forest. The name in honor of the billionaire is symbolic - the tree is very old, like an entrepreneur respected in the USA.

Sequoia is distinguished by its height, slenderness and density of the crown. Those who were lucky enough to see Rockefeller remembered him for a lifetime. By the way, it is not so easy to see a tree - the coordinates of all the colossi of the plant world are classified: this is one of the most effective ways protect them from vandals. If a person walks through the park, he simply will not understand that there is a giant in front of him. The thickness of the trunk of the famous sequoia is not much different from the surrounding counterparts.

Lauralyn - is in the seventh position of the top

Southern Giant Lauralyn

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 is a complete ecological system. Starting from the roots and ending with the crown, Lauralin is the habitat of a wide variety of living creatures. Hares live at its foot, squirrels live in hollows on the middle floors, birds nest on the branches. In addition, the Lauralina ecosystem includes many varieties of lichens and insects.

This giant sequoia is not hidden from the public: visiting Humboldt Park, be sure to come to see the amazing tree.

Orion - a gigantic sequoia in sixth place

Orion - the height of the tree is 112.63 meters

In the very center national reserve Redwood (California, USA) grows a giant sequoia called Orion. The height of this amazing creation of mother nature is 112.63 m. Orion carefully hid 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 see the huge difference between sequoias only 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 is 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 at its height: it seemed to the researchers that the tree touches the clouds with its branches. Hence the name of the vegetable colossus.

The stratospheric giant was found in 2000 in the Humboldt National Park - this nature reserve is famous for record sequoias.

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 added in growth: its height was 113.11 m. The tree is surrounded by large brothers and you can only understand how huge it is from a height. The coordinates of the Stratospheric giant are hidden: this is how scientists try to protect the sequoia from vandalism.

Ikar took the third position in the ranking

Icarus reaches 113.4 meters

Finally, we got to the top three. The famous sequoia Icarus "rose" to the third step of the rating. The tree was found by researchers M. Taylor and K. Atkins, who wandered around California's Redwood Park for several days.

Biologists have noticed that the top of the sequoia is dry, as if it had burned out in the sun. Atkins remembered Greek myth about Icarus, a young man who decided to fly to the sun, but burned down 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 sequoias in the reserve have dead tops. Actually, from English "Redwood" is translated "Red Forest".

Finding Icarus on your own is problematic, and its coordinates are carefully classified.

Helios is the second in the rating 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, the researchers managed to find another giant sequoia. It was a tree with a height of 114.58 m. Taylor and Atkins, shocked, named the sequoia Helios in honor of ancient greek god 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 - the record holder among all the tallest trees on the planet

So, we got to the tallest tree in the world. This is a unique Hyperion sequoia that grows in the same Redwood Park. Surprisingly, the restless K. Atkins and M. Taylor discovered Hyperion. After measuring the tree, it became clear - this incredible giant is the 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 sure that the Hyperion sequoia could have reached even higher heights, but the tree was attacked by woodpeckers. A huge number of birds settled in the branches 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 giant size 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 in the world

Readers have already understood that the tallest tree in the world is the sequoia. This breed 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. 20th century American authorities drew attention to the atrocities of lumberjacks in the Redwood National Park and the felling of sequoias in this area was strictly prohibited. Black lumberjacks were subjected to harsh sanctions, fined and even put in jail.

The measures worked: in our time, a lot of gigantic sequoias grow in the Red Forest. At the last count of scientists, 100 trees grow in Redwood with a height of more than 100 meters. All 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 higher, but biologists K. Atkins and M. Taylor proved that this is far from the case. Wandering through California's Redwood Park, they discovered a group giant trees, among which was an incredible colossus, similar to a skyscraper. After measurements with laser equipment, it turned out that the found tree was almost a meter higher 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 taller than London's Big Ben.

Hyperion was measured by environmentalist Steve Sillett, who was posted to Redwood Park. national university them. Humboldt. Sillett, using climbing equipment, climbed to the top of the sequoia and lowered the tape from there. Television company NG 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 were operating with might and main. Giant pines fell one after another, they were sawn 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 brought down, the US government declared Redwood a park of national importance.

The sawmills knew full well that Redwood was going to be recognized as a park, so they worked tirelessly with chainsaws. Sequoia wood is one of the most valuable in the woodworking industry, companies received hundreds of thousands of dollars for one sawn giant.

Trees, many of which were hundreds of years old, were destroyed on an industrial scale. People could well destroy one of the undoubted treasures of mankind - the redwood forest.

Unfortunately, hundreds and even thousands of trees were not so lucky as Hyperion. Currently, in the United States, redwood forests account for only 4% of all green areas.

Hyperion is young enough for a plant of its kind: this tree has not yet completed its growth. 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, in fact, this is a young tree. The rangers of Redwood Park kept the coordinates of the giant strictly classified. American scientists hope that young tree will continue to grow, setting new incredible records.

Besides, hiking trips to Hyperion will certainly lead to the disruption of the Redwood Sequoia forest ecosystem. The tree itself will also suffer: for sure, among tourists there will be lovers to put a “commemorative” inscription on the tree or break off a piece of bark.

According to Sillett, redwoods are a kind of "movie stars", but they can't get away from the paparazzi like their human counterparts. History has shown that the popularity giant sequoias leads to sad consequences.

History of Giant Tree Measurements

It is impossible to tell if Hyperion is the tallest tree in the last 100-200 years. People began to be interested in this topic relatively recently and no data has been preserved. In addition, 96% of redwoods are destroyed by logging companies.

In 1872, William Ferguson, an official with the Australian State Forestry Inspectorate, informed the authorities about the discovery of a fallen Eucalyptus regnans (the royal eucalyptus, the closest relative of the familiar mountain ash). The tree was enormous. Arriving scientists measured and reported that the length of the eucalyptus is 132 meters.

After that, several more eucalyptus trees up to 140 meters high were found in Australia. Unfortunately, there is no way to confirm these data: gigantic trees were cut down by lumberjacks.

Eucalyptus wood turned out to be almost the only building material for Australian settlers.

Today, there are almost no eucalyptus trees left in Australia, but they are found in Tasmania. For example, the famous eucalyptus Centurion is 100 meters high. The uniqueness of the Centurion is that it is the highest deciduous tree our planet. 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 nutrient composition obtained from the soil to the crown, its growth will stop.

Amos's theory has not yet found practical confirmation: there is not a single tree in the world 130 meters high.