After millions of years of evolution, dazzling life forms exist in our world. Such is the case of the largest tree in the world, a natural wonder that fortunately is very well preserved today.
Many trees that have lived for a long time have developed differently. For example, some are very tall, others have a huge crown and there are those that are large due to the volume they occupy.
Next, you will learn which is the largest, where the largest tree in the world is located and the characteristics that make it a valuable natural monument of our planet.
What is the largest tree in the world
The first thing you should know is the name of the largest tree in the world. This tree is not marked on any map and in fact finding it and doing anything with it is punishable by up to a $5,000 fine.. This is because this type of tree, redwoods, have historically been threatened, and therefore conserving as many of them as possible is imperative.
The caregivers explain that when an event is known, something that is truly extraordinary, people are excited to visit it, learn about it, and publish it on social networks. In the case of trees, it is not unusual for them to carve their initials into their bark.
So, do we even know where the largest tree in the world is? The answer is yes. It is located in Redwood National Park, in California, United States. But its exact location is not known.
In fact, the place abounds in redwoods, but no hiker can differentiate its height just by looking at it from the ground. Hyperion is vulnerable due to its enormous size, so it is best that its location be unknown. It is enough for us to be aware of the existence of this 600-year-old tree.
© Carol M. Highsmith
– Creative Commons
How tall is the largest tree in the world?
Hyperion measures 115.82 m in length. This makes it 22 meters higher than the Statue of Liberty in New York, in the United States.
Redwoods are a species of tree that have always been highly threatened due to their abundant and valuable wood. Between 1850 and 1960, 90% of California’s original redwoods were cut down.. Hyperion miraculously escaped this devastation. It is known that other large trees did not suffer the same fate.
Now trees and forests face the dangers of forest fires, and the consequences of climate change, among other delicate factors for the ecosystem. Conservationists work actively spreading the existence of these extraordinary specimens, in order to awaken empathy and respect in the population.
It’s not just that they have a beautiful appearance and impressive size. They are representatives of the importance of forests. Trees that grow slowly over centuries are larger, and healthier.
They have an outstanding capacity to store more carbon, making them essential for the purity and viability of the environment. The redwood forest can absorb an enormous amount. Hyperion in particular has a huge biomass, one of the largest in the world. That is why it is of great value for life on our planet.
Discovery
In 2006, naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor were exploring Redwood National Park. Then they found a new candidate for the largest tree in the world. It surpassed its previous discoveries known as Helios and Icarus.
They named him Hyperion after the titan who was the father of Helios in Greek mythology. His discovery was supported by coast redwood specialist Steve Sillett.. This was the first scientist to climb old trees since 1987, in order to better study ecosystems.
He helped researchers measure it, using a laser rangefinder that returned a measurement of 115.21 meters. This number already placed it widely as the largest on the planet. However, laser rangefinders may not be very accurate. They use laser pulses to calculate distances, with a decent estimate.
However, in this case they wanted to be sure. Using mechanical ascenders, Sillet climbed to the top of the tree. Then he dropped a fiberglass from the top, which he confirmed was 115.54 meters high. And not only that, he also confirmed that it can still continue to grow and in fact its length is currently known to be 115.82 m.
It is a young tree if compared to other old specimens. It is between 600 and 800 years old, according to experts. There is an older sequoia that is around 2500 years old. Sillet assures that it could grow up to 118 meters in height.
For this to be possible, it is essential that it be protected from people and climatic events that can affect their well-being.
Images of the largest tree in the world
Images of Hyperion could not be missing, which will allow you to verify that it is really the largest on the planet. Just scroll through our gallery below.
© National Park Service Digital Image Archives
– Creative Commons
Largest Christmas tree in the world
A tree to celebrate Christmas is one of the inevitable traditions in practically the entire world. And there is one, in a special place where they have the most gigantic of all. We are talking about Gubbio, in Perugia, Italy.
Every year, from December 7 to January 8, it is the place where the largest Christmas Tree on the planet shines. It has existed since 1981 and is not a tree itself. Not even an artificial one. It is a huge formation of numerous colored lights and more than 10 thousand kilometers of cables organized on the slopes of Mount Ingino. They offer the view of the tallest Christmas tree with a length of 750 meters.
What would be their estate They immerse themselves in the town, while the star at the top reaches the Basilica of Sant’Ubaldo, who is the patron saint of Gubbio. It has a base of 450 meters and appears in the Guinness Records, with the title of the largest Christmas tree in the world.
The illumination begins every year, on December 7 at 6.30 in the afternoon, from Piazza Gramsci. This happens in a ceremony where a special guest is in charge of lighting them. For example, in 2014 the honoree was Pope Francis. In addition, the event is broadcast live from a Facebook page, from where it reaches a large number of faithful around the world.
© The world
– Creative Commons
List of largest trees
Now let’s discover the trees that precede Hyperion in size. They stand out for being very tall and rise above the earth in a majestic manner. You will know the 5 most impressive that accompany the greatest of all.
5- Nameless giant sequoia
California is undoubtedly the territory par excellence of giant sequoias. One in particular that has not been baptized in any way, It measures 95.7 m and is located in Sequoia National Park. In addition to being enormously long, these trees have highly resistant trunks, whose diameter can measure up to 7.7 meters in diameter.
© Wikipedia
– Creative Commons
4- Raven Tower, Sitka Spruce
This Sitka spruce measures 96.7 m and was discovered by Michael Taylor in 2001, one of those responsible for the discovery of Hyperion, Icarus, Helios and other trees famous for their length.. Its exact location also remains a secret, but it is known to live in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in northern California.
© Wikipedia
– Creative Commons
3- Doerner fir, coastal Douglas fir
This specimen is found in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, in Coos, Oregon. It measures 99.7 meters and its diameter is 3.5 meters. Their home is a public place open to logging, so it’s almost a miracle it exists. He was found in 1989 and named as a local public servant.
© Wikipedia
– Creative Commons
2- Centurion, Australian mountain ash
This tree, whose scientific name is Eucalyptus regnansis located in the Arve Valley in Tasmania, Australia. It measures 100.5 m, and has a diameter of 4.05 m. A forest fire damaged it in 2019. Although this damaged the base of his trunk, he was able to recover. But it is believed that, due to this event, its growth would be limited.
© Wikipedia
– Creative Commons
1- Menara, yellow Meranti
The yellow Meranti or Shorea faguetiana It is the tallest tropical tree in the world. It takes place in the Danum Valley Conservation Area in Sabah, Borneo. There has been some disagreement over its exact height, but its most recent measurement indicated that it is 100.8 meters in length. That’s why it was called Menara which in malay means tower. It is believed to be the angiosperm or plant with the largest flowers.
© Wikipedia
– Creative Commons
Frequent questions:
What is the largest type of tree in the world?
Hyperion is a 115m sequoia that lives in Redwood National Park in California. This type of tree stands out for being very tall and very long-lived. It is believed that it can live an average of 2000 years and can grow to just over 100 m tall.
How tall is the oldest tree in the world?
In this case we are talking about the tree known as Old Tjikko, and it is estimated that its age dates back to 9,550 years ago. It’s something they determined through their carbon footprint. It measures only 4 meters high.
Widest tree in the world
The Tule tree, in Oaxaca, Mexico is the widest in the world. It has a diameter of 14 m and a perimeter of just over 42 m.
Where is the largest tree in the world?
Hyperion is located in Redwood National Park in the United States. It is one of the main places intended to preserve redwoods, which are very tall trees and many of them are very old.
How old is the largest tree in the world?
Hyperion is estimated to be around 600 years old. This tree survived a period of indiscriminate logging, during which trees larger than this one disappeared. Fortunately it is now under the protection of conservationists.
The largest sequoia in the world
Hyperion is the largest sequoia on the planet. It measures just over 115 m in length and its diameter is 4.84 m.
How tall is the largest tree in the world?
The tallest tree on the planet is called Hyperion and is just over 115 meters high.
What is the oldest tree in the world?
That is Old Tjikko, a tree whose age was determined in various analyses, revealing that it is 9,550 years old.
Tallest tree in the world Guinness
The Guinness Book of Records has…