Do You Know That The Tallest Living Things Are Trees?

  It amazing to see the tallest living things on earth are trees.

      The tallest living things on Earth are trees. One species is so tall and massive that it is considered as the largest living thing. Another species is the main source of eucalyptus oil and another is the koala's favorite snack. While most of them make good materials for timber, one of them has no use for carpentry due to the low quality of wood.


Find out the height, location and other awesome facts about the planet’s living skyscrapers.

                                          Coast Redwood

                                                           THE COASTAL REDWOODS

     Coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) are among the tallest living and longest living trees on Earth. The leader among the pack, named Hyperion was discovered in 2006 and was measured at 379 feet (115 m). Redwoods have a lifespan of over 2,000 years old. These evergreen giant can be found in southern Oregon to Central California, United States.

                                  Coast-douglas Fir

     With a height that reaches over 120 meters (290 ft), the coast-douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is another gigantic evergreen. “Doerner Fir,” the tallest living specimen, stands at 99 meters (327 ft) tall in Coos County, Oregon. Douglas-fir is a straight-trunked tree with a spire-like crown, gray to reddish brown bark and yellowish green needles. It produces more timber than any other tree in North America. (photo credit)

                                       Giant Ash

                                           THE GIANT ASH

     The giant ash of Australia (Eucalyptus regnans) is known as the tallest flowering plant, tallest hardwood and the third tallest tree on Earth. The species can reach a height of over 114 meters (374 ft). The tallest living specimen named Centurion measures 99 meters (328 ft) tall. Giant ash, also known as mountain ash or swamp gum, has an average annual growth rate of 1 meter (3 ft) and an average lifespan of 400 years. (photo credit)

                                     Sitka Spruce

      Picea sitchensis, the sitka spruce, grow best in areas where there’s moist ocean air and summer fog. They can primarily be found along the narrow strip of the Pacific Northwest coastal fog-belt from southeastern Alaska to northern California. They can grow up to 100 meters (328 ft) tall and may live up to 700 years old. The light, soft, strong and flexible wood of the sitka spruce made it suitable for use in general construction, ship building and plywood. It is also widely used in making piano, harp, guitar and violin due to its excellent acoustic properties.

                                 Giant Sequoia

                                         GENERAL SHEMAN

     In addition to among the tallest, the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is also often called “the world’s largest living thing.” They are capable of growing up to 95 meters (311 ft) in height and 11 meters (36 ft) in diameter. The biggest among them, General Sherman, measures 83 meters (275 ft) tall and 7 meters wide (25 ft) with an estimated age of 2,300 – 2,700 years old. This evergreen conifer has a reddish brownish thick, fibrous bark which can easily be punched by the fist. The quality of its wood is low so it has no importance in forestry. (photo credit)

                               Tasmanian Blue Gum

     Did you know that the principal source of eucalyptus oil is one of the tallest trees? The Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globules) is the most widely grown eucalypt worldwide due to its rapid growth and adaptability to a wide variety of site conditions. Its leaves, which are used to extract oil, have therapeutic, perfumery, flavoring, antimicrobial and biopesticide properties. They are native to Australia where they typically grow up to 55 meters (180 ft) tall.

                                       Manna Gum

     The manna gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) is a fast growing tree that often grows up to 40 meters tall. Its tallest living specimen stands at 89 meters (292 ft) at the Evercreech Forest Reserve of Tasmania, Australia. Its trunk is smooth and straight with a milky white gum, Manna gum, or cream color. The leaves are the Koala’s favorite food.

                                  Yellow Meranti

     The world’s eighth tallest living tree, the yellow meranti, can be found in the Tawau Hills National Park in Sabah on the island of Borneo. It was measured to be 88 meters tall. This flowering tree is native to Southeast Asia where it is used to make boxes and crates, furniture, flooring, light carpentry and veneer. The yellow meranti (Shorea faguetiana), commonly called lauan, is an endangered species.

                                        Alpine Ash

     This cream-, yellow- or grey-trunked tree can grow to over 90 meters tall. The tallest known specimen is in Tasmania, Australia and is 87 meters tall. The leaves are glossy green to blue-green that turns orange, pink or red which makes the alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) a good ornamental plant.
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