General Sherman: The Largest Tree on Earth and Giant Sequoias

In Sequoia National Park, California, grows a tree called General Sherman. It is neither the tallest nor the oldest, but by trunk volume it is the largest single-stem tree on Earth. Here is what makes giant sequoias remarkable and which other trees hold records.

Living plants for your home: potted plants.

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General Sherman in numbers

• Species: giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum).
• Height: about 84 metres.
• Circumference at the base: about 31 metres.
• Trunk volume: roughly 1,500 cubic metres, more than any other known single-stem tree.
• Age: estimated at more than two thousand years.

The tree was named in the 19th century after the American general William Sherman. A trail leads to it today, and the trunk is fenced off so visitors do not compact the soil over its roots.

Two different sequoias

• Giant sequoia grows in the Sierra Nevada mountains: the most massive trees on the planet.
• Coast redwood grows along the Pacific coast: the tallest trees, led by Hyperion at more than 115 metres.

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Why sequoias are so huge

• Longevity. Sequoias grow for millennia and keep adding volume throughout their lives.
• Thick bark. Bark up to half a metre thick and low in resin protects them from fire and pests.
• Fire as a helper. Wildfires open the cones, clear the ground and let light reach seedlings, which is why parks carry out controlled burns.
• Water from fog and snow. Their mountain homes give them enough moisture.

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What threatens the giants

The main threats today are severe droughts and especially intense wildfires, which in recent years have damaged even mature sequoias. National parks protect the trees and carry out fire-prevention work around the most famous trunks.

Do sequoias grow in Ukraine?

Giant sequoias are grown in some botanical gardens and arboreta in the country’s milder regions, though they are nowhere near the size of the Californian giants. More remarkable trees in “Unusual trees of the world”, and trees and shrubs for the garden in “Ornamental shrubs for the garden”.

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FAQ

What is the tallest tree in the world?

A coast redwood called Hyperion, more than 115 metres tall. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it.

What is the oldest tree?

Among single trees, some of the oldest are Great Basin bristlecone pines in California, such as Methuselah, estimated at more than 4,800 years old.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

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