Trees are extremely fascinating: Not only can members of their group live several thousand years, some of them are also among the largest living things on earth. The giant trees, which are mainly found in the national parks of the USA and Australia, reach a growth height of well over 100 meters.

The coast redwood in Redwood National Park is one of the largest trees on earth

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Biggest Tree
  3. Largest tree in Germany
  4. Maximum growth height
  5. causes of growth
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • The tallest living tree in the world is "Hyperion" in Redwood National Park, a coast redwood with a height of 115.72m.
    • The largest tree in the world is the giant mammoth "General Sherman Tree" at 1,490 cubic meters in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park.
    • The world's thickest tree is a Mexican bald cypress with a trunk circumference of 46 meters in Oaxaca, Mexico.

    How big is the tallest tree in the world?

    "Trees are more reasonable than people, they always strive for the light."

    The term "big" can be interpreted in many different ways. "Tall" in relation to trees can mean their height, but also their sheer mass or width. Therefore, various specimens are shortlisted for the title "biggest tree in the world".

    tallest tree

    The highest living tree in the world is currently a coast redwood (bot. Sequoia sempervirens) called "Hyperion", whose current height was measured at 115.72 meters. Incredible as it sounds, this impressive giant was only discovered in 2006 because it is located in a fairly remote part of Redwood National Park on California's Pacific Coast. Incidentally, there are other record-breaking trees of the same species in its immediate vicinity:

    • "Helios" with a height of 114.09 meters
    • "Icarus" with a height of 113.14 meters
    • and "Daedalus" with a height of 110.76 meters

    Incidentally, an Australian giant eucalyptus (Eucalyptus regnans) discovered in the 19th century is said to have been even higher, measuring an unbelievable 132.58 meters in height. Unfortunately, this record was not established until after the tree had been felled.

    The mightiest tree in the world

    Even the mightiest tree in the world is a sequoia, but one of the species mountain or giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). This tree, known as the "General Sherman Tree", is probably the largest tree in the world at around 1,490 cubic meters. It can be viewed in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in California. Incidentally, the "General Sherman Tree" is not only particularly large, but also very old: its age is estimated at around 1900 to 2500 years. However, this does not mean that it is one of the oldest trees in the world.

    Biggest tree in the world

    A Mexican bald cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) called "Árbol del Tule" currently bears this honorary title, which impresses with a trunk circumference of a proud 46 meters. While this specimen, located in Santa María del Tule, Oaxaca, Mexico, is not unusually tall at around 42 meters tall, it is exceptionally heavy, weighing an estimated 636 tons.

    This video also provides an entertaining overview of the five most incredible trees in the world:

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    How big is the tallest tree in Germany?

    But there are also interesting record holders to be admired under the trees in Germany. Germany's currently tallest tree is a Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), known as "Waldtraut vom Mühlenwald", which is exactly 66.58 meters high according to measurements in 2022. In the meantime, however, the very fast-growing tree may have added a few centimeters, because the tree was only planted in 1913 and is still growing. On average, Douglas firs grow about 30 centimeters per year if the growing conditions are right. So we can continue to be curious. Incidentally, "Waltraud" can be seen near Freiburg, in the so-called Mühlenwald.

    The thickest tree in Germany, on the other hand, is in the north, in the small Emsland municipality of Heede. The "millennial lime tree" is a summer lime tree with a trunk circumference of 18 meters - there is no larger lime tree in all of Europe. A full 12 adults are needed to embrace this tree. The crown of this tree is very impressive with a diameter of about 30 meters. It is supported by several branches that branch off from the main trunk at a height of about 3 meters. Many old and large trees have trunks that are split and hollow inside, but not this linden tree: Untypically, its thick trunk is still comparatively strong and has only a few hollows.

    What is the maximum height of trees?

    As impressive as the giant trees presented here are: no growth lasts forever. Tree scientists - so-called dendrologists - have calculated the maximum growth height of a tree before its supply system collapses and the tree dies because it can no longer take care of itself: The scientists' estimates in this regard range from a maximum height of between 130 and 150 meters. Of course, this information does not apply to every tree species and also not to every location, because only certain trees can reach such gigantic proportions - and then only if they find sufficient water and nutrients, are in a quiet location with sufficient light and, last but not least, not being cut down prematurely by humans.

    These tree species grow particularly tall

    These tree species are considered to be particularly tall:

    Giant eucalyptus trees, as the name suggests, are huge

    • Giant Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus regnans): evergreen tree native to Australia that can grow to around 65 meters in height in just 50 years. The currently tallest example of this species is in Tasmania and is 99.6 meters high.
    • Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens): evergreen coniferous tree from the cypress family, particularly common in California and a so-called "living fossil" because sequoias existed since the time of the dinosaurs
    • Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum): evergreen coniferous tree native to the Sierra Nevada in California and related to the coast redwood

    In addition to these species, all of which are the largest tree specimens, there are a few other tall trees that also reach impressive dimensions in individual cases. These include, for example:

    • Yellow meranti tree (Shorea faguetiana): a specimen of this species located on Borneo is currently the tallest living deciduous tree with a height of 100.8 meters
    • Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii): very fast-growing, but not particularly old with an average of approx. 400 years, can reach a height of more than 100 metres

    Average height of different tree species

    The following table shows the growth heights of the tree species commonly found in our mixed forests - provided they are allowed to grow and are not cut down by forest workers beforehand. It turns out that Central European trees can reach an average height of around 30 meters. What catches the eye, however, are the different types of fir, which can reach 50 meters in good growth conditions or, as in the case of the Nordmann fir, even up to 70 meters.

    tree species Latin designation Possible growth height
    European larch Larix decidua up to 35 meters
    Norway spruce / red spruce Picea abies up to 40 meters
    Common robinia / false acacia Robinia pseudoacacia up to 22 meters
    field maple Acer campestre up to 25 meters
    sycamore Acer pseudoplatanoides up to 30 meters
    white willow Salix alba 6 to 30 meters
    cracked willow Salix fragilis 3 to 15 meters
    Nordmann fir Abies nordmanniana up to 70 meters
    silver fir Abies alba up to 50 meters
    pedunculate oak Quercus robur up to 45 meters
    hornbeam Carpinus betulus up to 28 meters
    European beech Fagus sylvatica up to 40 meters
    small-leaved lime Tilia cordata up to 30 meters
    Common horse chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum up to 35 meters
    field elm Ulmus minor up to 30 meters

    digression

    That's how tall our fruit trees grow

    In comparison, fruit trees neither reach a particularly old age nor grow particularly large. The outliers here are sweet cherry and walnut trees, which with growth heights of well over 20 meters require a lot of space in the garden and, at around 60 to 80 years, also get older than most apple trees.

    fruit tree Latin name Average height
    cultivated apple Malus domestica up to 10 meters
    culture pear Pyrus communis up to 20 meters
    sweet cherry Prunus avium up to 28 meters
    sour cherry Prunus cerasus up to 8 meters
    culture plum Prunus domestica 6 to 10 meters
    quince Cydonia oblonga 4 to 8 meters
    walnut Juglans regia 15 to 25 meters

    Why do some trees grow so extremely tall?

    This rain tree is the largest of its kind in Thailand

    In order for these giant trees to reach their impressive height, a number of factors must of course come together. In addition to genetics - the maximum growth height is genetically determined in many species - environmental factors in particular play a major role. The trees only grow so large where optimal growth conditions prevail. Without the appropriate resources, on the other hand, they remain much smaller - after all, the sequoia trees planted here do not even come close to being as tall. For this reason, there are often several high-growing specimens next to each other, because the site conditions made it possible for various trees to grow extremely.

    In addition to these factors, however, other causes also play a major role: resilience is one of them. The largest creatures on earth, the sequoia trees, for example, have a bark up to 70 centimeters thick - which is also fireproof because it secretes a protective liquid over the outer skin when it is hot and is extremely regenerative. The high tannic acid content also keeps insects and fungal pathogens away, making Sequoia virtually immune to all sorts of pests and diseases.

    frequently asked Questions

    Can you visit the tallest tree in the world?

    The location of the tallest tree in the world - "Hyperion" is kept secret to protect it from overly intrusive tourists. As unbelievable as it sounds, this tree is a shallow rooter, so trampling feet could cause significant damage to its root system. In addition, the specimen is in a remote location that is neither fortified nor signposted.

    Are the tallest trees also the oldest?

    No, because the height has nothing to do with age, but with the speed of growth. However, sequoias can also reach an extremely old age of several thousand years.

    And what is the smallest tree in the world?

    The so-called herb willow (Salix herbacea) is the smallest tree in the world. Although it is only about ten centimeters high, it has everything that makes a tree: a trunk, a crown, green foliage, flowers and fruit.

    tips

    The primeval sequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) from China is related to the two American species, but it only grows to a height of between 30 and 35 meters.

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Trees