Hyperion: The tallest tree on Earth
You would agree that trees are some of the most majestic and awe-inspiring living things on the planet. And many of them are really, really big. But do you know which one is the tallest?
It turns out that the tallest trees on Earth are the coast redwoods found in the Redwood National Park, in Northern California. And the king of these giants is a tree known as Hyperion.
High and mighty
The California redwoods (or Sequoia sempervirens) are the tallest trees in the world. But if you had to name any one particular tree which is the tallest among redwoods then that is the Hyperion. Hyperion is again a coastal redwood tree, located somewhere in the heart of Redwood National Park in California. The living skyscraper is a staggering 380 feet tall.
First discovered in 2006 by US naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor, Hyperion is estimated to be 600-800 years old. Amazingly, the park also houses the second and third known tallest trees, named Helios and Icarus.
Well, do you know what makes them so tall? It’s California’s weather! In California, the humid summer fogs combined with winter rainfall allow redwoods to grow to immense heights.
Golden oldies
What is even more interesting is that coast redwoods are not only the tallest trees on the planet, they are also some of the oldest living things on Earth. Of course you know that plants and trees came before the human life inhabited the Earth!
Can you imagine a tree to be as old as 2,200 years old? Some coastal redwoods are that old. But what makes them live such a long life? Well, one of the reasons redwoods live so long is due to a substance in their barks called tannin. This substance increases the tree's resistance to pests and diseases and helps to deter insects like termites.
The climate also plays a role. Even when inland California burns in the summer, a blanket of thick fog envelopes the coastal groves, keeping the temperature cool round the year. The coast also sees heavy rainfall, which helps nurture these giants.
Fire kings
Forest fires are very common around where redwoods live but what is interesting to note is that redwoods have adapted to be fire-resistant. These small frequent fires are called ‘cool’ fires. They clean the forest floor of dead leaves and branches but thankfully don’t destroy the trees.
Redwoods have thick, spongy bark which helps to protect them from flames, along with the water-based sap they produce. As redwoods grow, they lose their lower branches which stops fire from spreading to the canopy.
Tallest but not the largest
While coast redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth, they are not the largest. That title is held by General Sherman and General Grant, the giant sequoias in California's Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.