Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective, does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
In total, there are more than 60 thousand different types of trees on our planet. But only one of them can boast of an extraordinary height – an evergreen sequoia. Representatives of the sequoia genus are conifers of the cypress family; their natural habitat is located on the Pacific coast of the United States of America. Only there, in the national parks of California, you can see the tallest trees in the world. For a long time, measuring such giants was a laborious process, but with the invention of laser rangefinders, it was not difficult to find out the exact growth of each potential record holder and determine the leaders among them.
Most of the tallest trees on our list are not exactly where they are, and are unlikely to be found on any of the tourist maps. The fact is that such giants, despite their apparent power, need careful handling, because their root system holds an enormous weight, and in addition, must ensure the delivery of nutrients to a considerable height. If the trees are besieged by crowds of tourists, it can destroy the surrounding ecosystem, which will shorten the life of these relics. An interesting fact: each of the tallest trees in the world has been given its own name to emphasize their uniqueness.
Ranking of the tallest trees in the world
| Nomination | a place | name | Height |
| Ranking of the tallest trees in the world | 10 | Mendocino | 112.2 m. |
| 9 | Paradox | 112.56 M. | |
| 8 | Rockefeller | 112.6 M. | |
| 7 | Laurelin | 112.62 M. | |
| 6 | Orion | 112.63 M. | |
| 5 | National Geographic Society | 112.71 M. | |
| 4 | Giant of the stratosphere | 113.11 M. | |
| 3 | Icarus | 113.14 M. | |
| 2 | Helios | 114.58 M. | |
| 1 | Hyperion | 115.61 M. |
10th place – Mendocino
Rating: 4.1
This giant is 112.2 meters high and has a trunk diameter of 4.19 meters. Sequoia Mendocino for six years, from 1996 to 2000, bore the title of the tallest tree in the world. However, this was not officially announced anywhere in order to avoid the excitement of the excursion, since the previous record holders have already suffered from excessive attention from tourists. The tree grows in the natural state reserve “Montgomery Woods”, which is located in the northern part of the California coast, Mendocino County (which is why it was given that name). According to the results of scientific research, the age of the sequoia is at least a thousand years, which is quite a lot even by the standards of this long-lived tree species.
9th place – Paradox
Rating: 4.2
A sequoia called Paradox reaches 390 centimeters in diameter, and its height is 112.56 meters. It was the tallest tree between 1995 and 1996. The Paradox is located on the territory of the state-owned California Redwoods Humboldt Park, in the Rockefeller Forest. This forest is the largest of all old-growth redwood forests in the world. It is considered unique due to its ecosystem, which has been preserved unchanged for many centuries.
8th place – Rockefeller
Rating: 4.3
Rockefeller sequoia, like the previous one, grows in the Rockefeller Forest. The tree reaches 112.6 meters in height, and its thickness is about four meters. Researchers have not yet come to an agreement as to what the exact trunk diameter is, since the sequoia has a bumpy base. It was first discovered in 1957, and it got its name in 1991, after the billionaire and philanthropist John Rockefeller, who donated two million dollars to the reserve. At that time, it was the height record holder. Of all the tall trees in the world, the Rockefeller sequoia is considered the most beautiful.
7th place – Laurelin
Rating: 4.4
The Laurelin tree is located in the Humboldt-Redwoods Park, its height is 112.62 meters, and the trunk has a diameter of 454 centimeters. The tree, like others like it, is at the same time a real ecosystem in which insects live, birds nest, and lichen grows on the surface. The famous sequoia is a real long-liver; it has existed, according to scientists, for more than 1600 years. The tree owes its name to the works of the world famous English writer J.R.R. Tolkien – In the Lord of the Rings universe, Laurelin is one of the giant trees created at the beginning of time.
6th place – Orion
Rating: 4.5
Sequoia Orion grows in California's Redwood National Park, located in San Mateo County. At 112.63 meters in height, she surpasses Laurelin by only one centimeter. The tree has a trunk diameter of 4.33 meters. The sequoia got its name in honor of the ancient Greek mythological character, who had extraordinary beauty and enormous growth. According to researchers, the age of Orion is about one and a half thousand years.
5th place – National Geographic Society
Rating: 4.6
The tree got its name from the National Geographic Society, one of the most significant scientific organizations in the United States. It also belongs to the sequoia genus, and is located in Redwood National Park, near the Redwood Creek River. The giant's height is 112.71 meters, and its trunk reaches 439 centimeters in girth. Until 1995, the National Geographic Society was considered the tallest tree on the planet.
4th place – Giant of the stratosphere
Rating: 4.7
The appropriately named Sequoia Giant of the Stratosphere soars skyward in Humboldt Park in Rockefeller Forest. In the period from 2000 to 2010, the tree added as much as 70 centimeters up. Currently, its height is 113.11 meters, and the diameter of the giant's trunk is an impressive 5.18 meters. Interestingly, the sequoia was included in the 2004 Guinness Book of Records. However, after the discoverer of this tree, naturalist Chris Atkins, discovered higher specimens, the Giant of the Stratosphere lost the palm.
3rd place – Icarus
Rating: 4.8
The tree, whose height is 113.14 meters, and its diameter is 3.78 meters, was first discovered relatively recently – only in 2006. Located in Redwood Park, on a tributary of the Redwood Creek River. It features a bifurcated top. Icarus owes its name to the top scorched by the sun's rays. According to ancient Greek legend, Icarus, with the help of the wings created by his father Daedalus, flew to a great height, but at the same time burned his wings. This sequoia, unlike many other tall members of its species, grows on a steep slope.
2nd place – Helios
Rating: 4.9
A record holder named Helios also grows up in California's Redwood Park. It rises 114.58 meters above the surface of the earth, and its trunk diameter is 496 centimeters. In 2006, for several months, Helios bore the title of the tallest tree in the world, but soon another giant sequoia was discovered, which surpassed it by more than a meter. The name Helios borrowed from ancient Greek mythology, it belongs to the sun god.
1st place – Hyperion
Rating: 5.0
Sequoia Hyperion was discovered in 2006 on the territory of the same state Redwood Park. Details of its location were not disclosed to avoid the impact of tourism. The tree with a total area of 502 square meters has a height of 115.61 meters and 484 centimeters in girth. Scientists were able to determine its age, which is about 700-800 years, which is quite a bit for a genus of trees living for several thousand years. In ancient Greek legends, from where the name of the tallest sequoia on the planet was taken, Hyperion is the father of the god Helios. According to experts, the gigantic tree will no longer grow in height, as its top has undergone significant damage from woodpeckers. So, probably in the coming years, he will give way to Helios.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
