If you choose the tallest tree on the planet, then the sequoia will certainly get the palm. It belongs to conifers, sometimes it is also called "mahogany" because of the rich color of the trunk. The height of the evergreen sequoia has always been of interest to naturalists, because there are a lot of these trees on the planet, and finding the most was a matter of honor for researchers.
Native American tree?
Although this tree has been growing on our planet for a long time, it received its name, which we use today, only at the beginning of the 19th century. It is believed that the etymology of this word comes from Sequoyah or Sequoia. That was the name of the Cherokee Indian leader who invented the syllabic alphabet for this nation.
Be that as it may, today this giant tree evokes awe and delight among everyone who saw it live, and the height of the evergreen sequoia is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, in the states of California and Washington, as well as in the south of the Canadian state, the British province most often meets sequoia, where it grows for many, many years. Researchers found the remains of this tree in ancient rocks that formed during the Jurassic period. And this is neither more nor less - 208 million years BC. It is believed that this tree came to us without changes, just like it was millions of years ago. Therefore, it is attributed to relict rocks.
Unfortunately, only two species have survived to our times - this is an evergreen sequoia and a giant sequoia. In the people they are also called the Red and Mammoth tree. And before, as the researchers assure, there were much more species, and they grew throughout the globe.
Thick and soft bark
Of course, the height of sequoia evergreen is of great interest. But it will be no less interesting to learn more about some of the features of this giant. The bark of this tree is very thick, up to 30 centimeters. But despite this, it is quite soft, has a fibrous structure and is relatively easy to separate from the trunk. True, after lying down for some time in the air, the crust acquires a brownish tint. It is because of this that the sequoia is also called the Mahogany . Although the bark is soft, the trunk itself is very strong and dense.
Which sequoia tree is visually? This is a huge wide trunk, a dense crown of a conical shape, and the branches grow either completely horizontally, or fall a little down, like the legs of a spruce. Beautiful dark green leaves reach a length of 15-25 centimeters.
How does it breed?
Sequoia is evergreen, whose cone reaches 15-22 centimeters in length, yields fertilized fruits every year. At the end of winter, seeds are pollinated, and then about 9 months they ripen. Each fruit contains 3-7 seeds with a size of about 3-4 millimeters. When the cone dries, the flakes begin to open and the seeds fall to the ground. If it falls into a favorable environment, new trees can grow from them. True, the chance for a new life is very negligible. The thing is that the crown of a large tree so densely covers the sun's rays that young shoots most often die from a lack of good light.
So, although this tree has quite a lot of fruits every year, most of them die and produce no offspring. Natural selection.
Excellent wood
In America, sequoia (where the bulk of this giant tree grows) is very successfully used for industrial purposes. After all, its wood is not only not subject to decay, it also has excellent fire-fighting qualities. Bugs and parasites do not start in it; it has a very elegant look after processing. Therefore, sequoia began to be used in large quantities for human needs, which, of course, led to a significant reduction in the habitat. Today, this tree is under human protection; its massive cutting and the use of wood in production is prohibited.
112.83 meters
What is the highest sequoia tree in the world? This question did not give scientists peace for a long time, and after many years of measurements and research, they finally found the largest giant. It turned out to be the Stratospheric Giant, which now grows in the Humboldt Redwoods National Park. This sequoia waved a height of exactly 112 meters 83 centimeters. True, the last time it was measured more than ten years ago, in 2004. So for sure it still managed to grow up.
Prior to this, the maximum height of the sequoia evergreen was in a tree called Giant Dyerville, which also grew in Humboldt Redwoods. In 1991, after a bad weather, it fell, and when we measured the distance from the base to the top, the figure was as follows: 113 meters 40 centimeters. The age of the Giant Dyerville was determined at 1600 years.
But they say that in modern history there was a tree even taller! And cut it down in the year 1812. His high-altitude record is 115 meters 80 centimeters. Biologists believe that the maximum growth of sequoia can not exceed 130 meters, because the forces of gravity will not allow the juices to rise higher. True, so far no one has found trees of this size.
How many giants on planet earth?
And yet, every traveler who has been in the shade of this tree is fascinated by its unusualness and some ancient statics, the sequoia is evergreen (height). Photos against the backdrop of these giants are so loved by all travelers. Pictures of tourists are especially popular when they as a whole group try to grab a relict tree trunk, but sometimes they don’t have enough hands. Yes, such a huge growth requires a solid foundation. The trunk in diameter of some trees reaches several meters. The largest sequoia reached 7 meters at the base in diameter.
This is a real giant on our planet. Today, about 15 trees grow on Earth, whose height reaches more than 110 meters. Scientists also counted 47 sequoias, which stretched more than 105 meters.
Is sequoia growing in Russia?
Basically, this giant tree is found in America on the Pacific coast. Sometimes they grow near the coast, but are mainly located within 30-750 meters above sea level. This tree loves good humidity, so in dry places it is doomed to death. Some seeds successfully climbed even higher, gave their shoots and trees took root well there. In any case, there are sequoias that grow well at an altitude of 920 meters from sea level.
This unique giant is very beautiful and bewitching with its size. Therefore, many European national nature reserves successfully plant this tree, which, with proper care, reaches a relatively large size in the middle lane.
In Russia, sequoia can be found in the Crimea and the Caucasus. The warm climate of these territories allows relict trees to grow to very decent sizes. Of course, these sequoias are relatively young, they are no more than 200-250 years old. But there is a chance that if the climate does not change, it will grow for many, many centuries to the delight of others.