What is the largest tree in the world? Which are some of the biggest trees? How tall do they grow? How much volume do they occupy? Some of us love visiting forests and marvel at the trees. We see some very high and tall trees in the forests.
But have you ever wondered what is the biggest tree? How tall does it grow? Nowadays, tree hugging is a popular activity. People hug trees to increase their production of oxytocin, the happiness hormone.
Trees inhabit the best of all worlds, heaven and earth. Their roots are planted in the grounds, but their upper reaches high and touches the sky. Science says that trees cannot grow upwards forever.
According to scientific research, the maximum height for trees is between 400 and 426 feet (122 to 130m).
Some of the trees on this list have nearly reached that height. Let’s take a look.
Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
Height: 380 feet (115m)
This tree is native to North America and grows mostly in Redwood National Park, California. It is the sole living species of the genus Sequoia in the cypress family Cupressaceae. The common names include coast redwood, California redwood, and coastal redwood.
This evergreen and long-lived tree has lived between 1200 and 2000 years. The tree reaches a height of 380 feet without the roots.
The tree is among the oldest living things on Earth. Before the 1850s when commercial logging and clearing began, this tree occurred naturally in an estimated 810,000 hectares along coastal California.
The leaves of the tree are variable, they can be long and flat on young trees and shaded lower branches in older trees.
The coast redwood is monoecious species, with pollen and seeds cones on the same plant.
Yellow meranti (Shorea faguetiana)
Height: 331ft (100m)
This species is native to Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and Thailand. Growing in Southeast Asia, it is known as the tallest flowering tree and tallest tropical tree in the world. The tallest one is found in the National Park Tawau Hills in Borneo.
These rainforest giants are highly endangered, and IUCN red-listed. For decades, people have been harvesting them relentlessly.
The Sabah primary rainforest is under protection, but the tree still grows elsewhere in Borneo. The tree has its own mini biodiversity. It hosts up to 1,000 insects, fungi, and other plant species.
Mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans)
Height 329ft (100m)
The flowering plant is native to Southeastern Australia. Other popular names include stringy gum and swamp gum.
It is a species of medium-sized to very tall forest trees, native to Tasmania and Victoria, Australia. The tree grows in pure stands in tall wet forests and in temperate, high rainfall areas with deep loam soils.
Sadly, a large number of these trees have been logged. The evergreen tree does not form a lignotuber. It has an open and small crown compared to the size of the tree.
Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii)
Height: 327ft (99m)
This coast Douglas-fir variety is the dominant tree west of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. It can occur in all forest types.
The evergreen conifer occurs at all sea levels along the coast in the California Mountains. When moving further inland, the variety is replaced by the Rocky Mountain or interior Douglas-fir. The latter integrates with the coast version in the Cascades of northern Washington and southern British Columbia.
The tree is one of the world’s best timber producers. It yields more timber than any other tree in North America.
Manufacturers use it for dimensional lumber, timbers, pilings, and plywood.
Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)
Height: 317ft (97m)
This large, coniferous, evergreen tree grows with a trunk in diameter at breast height exceeding 16ft (5m).
It is the largest species of spruce and the fifth-largest conifer in the world. It is one of the few species that have exceeded 300ft in height.
The name comes from the community of Sitka in southeast Alaska. There, it is the prevalent tree. But its range continues to the western coast of Canada and the US, continuing south into California.
The tree provides a habitat for many mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians. The tree does not tolerate shade well, preferring full sun.
Due to its prevalence in cool, wet climates, and its thin and bark shallow root system, the tree is very susceptible to fire damage.
As for uses, it is important in forestry for timber and paper productions. Companies praise its fast growth on poor soils and exposed sites where other trees cannot prosper.
Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
Height: 314ft (96m)
Native to Sequoia National Forest, California, the tree is famous as giant redwood and Sierra redwood. It is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron. It is also one of the three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods.
Giant sequoia specimens are some of the most massive trees on Earth, and this one falls into that group as well.
Despite its large size and adaptation to fire, this tree is severely threatened by a combination of fuel load from fire suppression.
Bhutan Cypress (Cupressus cashmeriana)
Height: 310ft (95m)
Native to Central-South Asia, the Bhutan Cypress or Kashmir cypress is a species of evergreen conifer. Native to Bhutan and eastern Himalaya, it is a vulnerable category according to the IUCN list.
The tree grows at moderately high altitudes between 1,250 to 2,800m (4,100 to 9,000 feet).
Some people mistake it with the Himalayan Cypress, which is the national tree of Bhutan. But they are slightly different.
Both trees, however, represent Bhutanese ability to survive on rugged terrain, bravery, and simplicity.
Southern blue gum (Eucalyptus globulusa)
Height: 302ft (92m)
The flowering plant is native to Tasmania, Southeastern Australia. The species of evergreen tree has mostly smooth bark, juvenile leaves.
There are four subspecies to this tree, each with a different distribution across Australia. Fun fact: these trees typically grow up to 200 feet. But the tallest specimen is found in Tasmania.
The tree has poor lumber qualities due to growth stress problems. Yet, manufacturers can still use it in construction, fence posts, and poles.
The leaves, however, are steam-distilled to extract eucalyptus oil. They can also be used as herbal tea.
Manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis)
Height: 298ft (91m)
This tree is actually a variant of the previous one. It is commonly known as manna gum, ribbon gun, or white gun.
The small to very tall tree is endemic to south-eastern Australia. Typically, it grows up to 160ft, but can sometimes grow up to 300ft.
Fun fact: Indigenous Australians used this tree to make shields and wooden bowls.
Dinizia excelsa
Height: 290ft (89m)
The flowering plant grows near the boundary of Amapa and Papa states in Brazil. The South American tropical rainforest tree species is the tallest-growing species in the pea family. It is also one of the tallest tropical tree species.
The wood of the tree is durable but difficult to work with. One reason is the wood is very resistant and has irregular grain. Yet, manufacturers have found a way to use it for railway sleepers, civil construction, naval construction, cabinetwork, and more.
