Dendrology Series

WSFNR13-2 January 2013 Tallest, Biggest, & Oldest by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Biology & Health Care Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources, University of Georgia

Trees have a long relationship with people. They are both utility and amenity. Trees can evoke awe, mysticism, and reverence. Trees represent great public and private values. Trees most noticed and celebrated by people and communities are the one-tenth of one-percent of trees which approach the limits of their maximum size, reach, extent, and age. These singular, historical, culturally significant, and massive trees become symbols and icons of life on Earth, and our role in environmental stewardship and sustainability.

What Is A Tree? Figure 1 is a conglomeration of definitions and concepts about trees from legal and word defini- tions in North America. For example, 20 percent of all definitions specifically state a tree is a . Concentrated in 63% of all descriptors for trees are four terms: plant, woody, single stem, and tall. If broad stem diameter, branching, and perennial growth habit concepts are added, 87% of all the descrip- tors are represented. At its most basic level, defining a tree is not based, but is a structural definition. A tree is represented by a type of plant architecture recognizable by non-technical people. The most basic con- cepts for defining a tree are -- a large, tall, woody, perennial plant with a single, unbranched, erect, self- supporting stem holding an elevated and distinct crown of branches greater than 10 feet in height and greater than 3 inches in diameter. Everyone tends to have their own tree definition.

Maximum Trees The structure and architecture of a tree help define its past, present, and future appearance and continued growth. The four tree metrics most people list to represent maximum limits of tree expression are height, girth, mass, and longevity.

In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Georgia does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other University-administered programs; or employment. In addition, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation consistent with the University non-discrimination policy. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the director of the Equal Opportunity Office, Peabody Hall, 290 South Jackson Street, University of Georgia, Athe68 T8 30602y. Tallest Figure 2 lists the fifteen tree species which contain the tallest trees in the world. These are scientifically confirmed measures of living trees. The height in feet is listed for the tallest individual within each species, as of the date of this publication. Note redwood is by far the tallest tree on the planet. Eucalyptus represents the tallest angiosperm. Height records fall rapidly with inclusion of more species providing a maximum height for most trees less than 150 feet. Figure 3 is a list of the top ten tallest individual trees in the world. Note redwoods occupy the first six spots. The tallest tree in the world with a confirmed height measure is the Hyperion redwood at 379 feet. It should be noted the tallest trees grow in isolated areas of cloud forests in temperate climatic zones (mountain slopes in California, USA, and Tasmania, Australia). Myth has always suggested the tallest trees grow somewhere in tropical rain forests, but this is not the case.

Largest Diameter Figure 4 is a list of the fifteen species of trees which contain individuals with the largest mea- sured stem diameters (dbh). In older popular literature, the girth (circumference) of stem bases was measured anywhere between ground level and 60 inches above the ground. These older measures may have included multiple stems and buttressed stem bases. The values presented here provides a diameter taken as close to 4.5 feet above the soil surface on the uphill side of the tree as possible. This position of measurement is termed “dbh” or diameter breast high. All these measures of diameter are in feet. The largest diameter trees in the world are lead by a short statured but immense diameter tree, the baobab. Its stem is low density, and shrinks and swells from season to season. The Montezuma and the giant are next in line with massive stems. A number of trees with large diameters are not necessarily tall, and tall trees are not always large in diameter.

Biggest Figure 5 presents the ten largest species of trees in the world. Size is measured as above ground volume, calculated in cubic feet. The largest volume occurs in trees with large diameter and tall stems. The volume value given in this figure is the largest of the species reliably measured. Giant sequoia and redwood species enclose extremely large volumes of space filled with both living and dead woody material.

Oldest Longevity is one defining component for trees. Aging trees is fraught with huge inaccuracies. Indistinct annual increments, false rings, wood decay, and wood cavities (especially within the center of the tree stem base) conspire to make aging trees difficult. Some trees have been properly aged only upon death through full examination of the stem base. For living trees, estimates from branches, increment cores, and wedge-shaped dead areas have been used. Figure 6 provides a best estimate of the tree species living the longest on Earth. Clonal systems are not included (like aspen clumps). Bristlecone pine is by far the eldest tree species with individuals reaching almost 5,000 years of age. Note there are two bristlecone pines on the list, and Pinus aristata. For all their great height, the oldest redwood is far below other species in maximum age. The European yew measure is a rough estimate.

Conclusions Trees which are tall, large, and old capture people’s attention. Beyond knowing the growth limits of individuals and species, tree size helps place important trees into human context. People’s communities, civilizations, and structures, and even our own size and age, can be dwarfed by trees.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 2 cumulative descriptor percent percent

PLANT 20% WOODY 16 SINGLE STEM 14 TALL / HEIGHT 13 63%

BRANCHED 9 PERENNIAL 8 GIRTH / DIAMETER 7 87%

ELEVATED CROWN 4 DISTINCT CROWN 3 SELF-SUPPORTING 3 97%

LOWER STEM WITHOUT BRANCHES 2 ERECT STEM 1 100%

Figure 1: Relative frequency of descriptors defining a tree. (155 descriptors in 45 definitions)

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 3 # height scientific name common name

1 379 ft redwood 2 328 ft Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir 2 328 ft Eucalyptus regnans swamp gum / mt. ash (tallest angiosperm)

3 318 ft Picea sitchensis sitka spruce 4 314 ft giganteum giant sequoia 5 297 ft Eucalyptus globulus Tasmanian blue gum

6 292 ft Eucalyptus viminalis manna gum 7 290 ft Shorea faguetiana yellow meranti 8 288 ft Eucalyptus delegatensis alpine ashe

9 236 ft Eucalyptus diversicolor karri 10 211 ft Abies grandis grand fir 11 207 ft Pinus strobus white pine (tallest tree in Eastern US)

12 204 ft Picea abies Norway spruce 13 177 ft Eucalyptus grandis flooded gum 14 174 ft plicata Western redcedar

Figure 2: List of the fifteen tree species which contain the tallest (feet) individuals in the world.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 4 # height scientific name common name tree name / location

1 379 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Hyperion, CA, USA 2 374 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Helios, CA, USA 3 371 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Icarus, CA, USA

4 369 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Stratosphere Giant, CA, USA 5 367 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Federation Giant, CA, USA 6 363 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Deadalus, CA, USA

7 328 ft Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir Doerner Fir, CA, USA 7 328 ft Eucalyptus regnans swamp gum Centurion, Tas, AUS 8 318 ft Picea sitchensis sitka spruce Prairie Creek Spruce, CA, USA 8 318 ft Eucalyptus regnans swamp gum Icarus Dream, Tas, AUS

9 314 ft Sequoiadendron giganteum giant sequoia CA, USA 10 308 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood Del Norte Titan, CA, USA

Figure 3: List of the twelve tallest (exceeding 300 feet in height) individual trees in the world.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 5 # diameter scientific name common name

1 49.2 ft Adansonia digitate baobab tree 2 30.8 ft mucronatum Montezuma cypress 3 29.0 ft Sequoiadendron giganteum giant sequoia

4 25.9 ft Sequoia sempervirens redwood 5 22.0 ft Eucalyptus obliqua Australian oak 6 21.4 ft Eucalyptus regnans swamp gum / mountain ash

7 19.6 ft Western redcedar 8 17.7 ft Picea sitchensis sitka spruce 8 17.7 ft Dracaena draco Canary Island dragontree 9 17.5 ft Agathis australis kauri

10 16.9 ft japonica sugi 11 16.4 ft Fitzroya cupressoides alerce 12 14.8 ft Quercus robur pedunculate oak

13 13.9 ft Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir 14 13.6 ft Quercus petraea sessil oak 15 13.6 ft Taxus baccata European yew

Figure 4: List of the fifteen tree species which contain individuals with the greatest diameter (dbh feet) in the world.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 6 # volume scientific name common name

1 52,508 ft3 Sequoiadendron giganteum giant sequoia 2 42,500 ft3 Sequoia sempervirens redwood 3 25,999 ft3 Montezuma cypress 4 17,200 ft3 Agathis australis kauri 5 17,650 ft3 Thuja plicata Western redcedar

6 13,000 ft3 Eucalyptus globulus Tasmanian blue gum 7 12,714 ft3 Eucalyptus regnans swamp gum / mt. ash 8 12,320 ft3 Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir 9 11,920 ft3 Picea sitchensis sitka spruce 9 11,920 ft3 Eucalyptus obliqua Australian oak 10 10,100 ft3 Eucalyptus delegatensis alpine ashe

Figure 5: List of the ten tree species which contain the largest volume (cubic feet) individuals in the world.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 7 # age in years scientific name common name

1 4,862 yrs Pinus longaeva bristlecone pine 2 3,622 yrs Fitzroya cupressoides alerce 3 3,500 yrs Taxus baccata European yew

4 3,266 yrs Sequoiadendron giganteum giant sequoia 5 3,012 yrs Cryptomeria japonica sugi 6 2,675 yrs Western

7 2,612 yrs Castanea sativa sweet chestnut 8 2,500 yrs Lagarostrobos franklinii huon-pine 9 2,435 yrs Pinus aristata RMt. bristlecone pine

10 2,217 yrs Ficus religiosa sacred fig 11 2,200 yrs Sequoia sempervirens redwood 12 2,110 yrs Pinus balfouriana foxtail pine

13 2,062 yrs Olea europaea olive 14 1,917 yrs Larix lyalli subalpine 15 1,889 yrs RMt. juniper

Figure 6: List of the fifteen tree species which contain the oldest (in years) individuals in the world.

Dr. Kim D. Coder, Warnell School, University of Georgia 8