Today, I just wonder that which tree species can grow the largest volume, and so I tried to find out from the web, and finally found this great information.
The tree called "General Sherman" is not only the biggest giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), but it is also the biggest tree in the world. It can found in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park (Tulare County).He is 83.8 m (274.9 feet) tall, his girth at breast height is 24,10 m (79 feet) (near the ground it is 31,3 m or 102,6 feet). The width of the crown is 33 m, and the first branch starts only at 40 m or 130 feet!
The age of this tree is probably about 2000 years old. However, some sequoias have been cut down and counted the rings in the past and found that some appeared to be 3220 years old. Therefore, it is assumed that there might be giant sequoias up to 4000 years old out there, because the biggest are not always the oldest ones, and this species is often called the largest living thing on earth.
The General Sherman Tree is not the tallest tree in the world, or the thickest at the base, but get its title "biggest tree in the world" from its total wood volume, or, more precisely, its total trunk volume.
During a winter storm in 2006 the tree lost a large branch. When it fell, it smashed a part of the enclosing fence and cratered the walkway pavement surrounding the sequoia. The loss of the branch is seen as a natural defense mechanism against adverse weather conditions. Also the branch loss does not change the tree's status as the largest tree, as that honor was bestowed based on measurements of trunk volume, excluding branches.
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Source @ Monumental Trees
It's really impressive and amazed when I saw it in 2009.
ReplyDeleteWe should know how important keeping our national natural heritage to show how smart we are by conserving them well. Actually, we had had a lot, but now almost gone by mismanagement of short-sighted and narrow-minded decision makers. Make efforts what we can before too late to save the remaining ones.