One State Has Both the Tallest and Largest Trees in the World

This one is probably an easy guess for most Americans. The state which boasts of both the single tallest and the single largest tree in the world would be California, USA, not surprising given its famous Redwood forests. It’s quite a record, nonetheless, although those two magnificent Redwoods in question seem to be quite unaffected by the honors.

And why would they be affected by human sentiment? These Redwoods were there long before California ever belonged to any country. Some scientists estimate that Redwoods as a species date back way beyond the dinosaurs (20 million years+).

They are the gigantic sentinels of a more pristine age of world development. They oversaw the transitions of human beings from our status as cave dwellers, to hunter-gatherers, to domesticated farmers, to Silicon Valley engineers.

We’re not sure what these silent giants have to say about the situation of modern California, but I doubt they’re even slightly fazed by riots, homelessness, social breakdown, or even some of the positives like the impressive wine industry.

They just endure, beautifully so. And they’ll still be here long after all the present inhabitants of California—and of America—are gone!

Redwoods vs Sequoias

The first distinction to make is the difference between Redwood trees and Giant Sequoia trees. I must confess that up until now I thought they were the same! In fact, they are different species of the same biological family, so it’s easy to confuse them. And that distinction applies to the two trees in question:

• The tallest tree in the world, called Hyperion, is a Coastal Redwood tree. It towers 381 ft. over the bed of the forest.

• The largest tree in the world, General Sherman, is a Giant Sequoia. It stands only 275 ft. above ground.

This map shows their exact habitats in California (green = Redwoods and red = Sequoia) with the locations of the two trees.

Other similarities and differences between the two species are interesting and in some cases quite striking:

1. Class: All Redwood and Sequoia trees are evergreens.

2. Height: The average height of Redwoods is between 250 and 330 ft. and that of the Giant Sequoias is 160–280 ft. although the star performers in each class can be much taller.

3. Shape: Redwoods are slender and straight stalks with very little taper as they rise upward; Sequoias are massive and wide at the bottom with a more pronounced but gentle taper rising skyward.

4. Diameter: The average trunk diameter of Redwoods is 10-20 ft. (Hyperion is about 16 ft.) while that of the Giant Sequoias is 20-25 ft. (the General Sherman is almost 36 ft.!)

5. Cones: Both trees produce seed-bearing cones, but the Sequoia’s cones are about three times the size of the Redwood’s. (Incidentally, a full grown Sequoia may have as many as 11,000 cones on it!)

6. Wood: Both kinds of trees produce a relatively “brittle” wood that is highly resistant to decay and disease but usually shatters when the tree falls to the ground; their wood is not good for construction but is generally used for smaller items (fence posts, match sticks, ornamental uses.)

7. Bark: In both cases their bark is “fire resilient” which contributes to their longevity. The Redwood has a dull chocolate brown bark which can be a foot thick; the Sequoia’s bark is light reddish brown (giving the tree its “redwood” name) that can be a couple feet thick in the oldest trees.

8. Roots: Despite their height and size, their roots are relatively shallow (believe it or not, only 6-12 ft. deep). Their rooted strength lies in their extension. Roots can fan out over 100 feet and intertwine with all the other neighboring trees to make them one of the strongest root systems possible. Today we’d call them expert networkers.

What an amazing family of trees! They’re kind of like the basketball players of the tree world and command ultimate respect, not just for their size but for their incredible longevity and resilience. Here’s a quick cameo of the tallest and largest trees on planet earth.

Hyperion is the name of one of the twelve Titans of Greek mythology. This tree is only 600-800 years old and is located in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park, which is a protected nature preserve in the northwestern corner of California hugging the Pacific Coast.

It’s not impossible to get there, but it’s difficult to do so because its location isn’t advertised, and there are no easy or direct trails leading directly to the tree.

In the past, some daring people have actually climbed this 381-foot monster, but if you try to do so today, you may get arrested. In 2022 the National Park Service restricted the area to protect the magnificent tree from human abuse and degradation. (It’s one of the few government regulations I am in favor of!)

If you look at this comparison chart, you can see the size of the tree relative to some of our more familiar landmarks.

This marvelous tree is sometimes called "The Largest Living Thing." It’s also one of the oldest, estimated to be between 2200-2700 years old. It largest branch is nearly 7 feet in diameter, the size of a very large tree on the ground.

THE BASE OF THE GENERAL SHERMAN AND THE TRAIL LEADING TO IT BETWEEN TWO GIANT SEQUOIAS

If 40 or 50 people stood side to side with hands touching, they might be able to get their collective arms around its more than 100-foot circumference. I’m guessing it’s about the dimensions of one of those huge gasoline reservoirs you sometimes see in industrial parks near seaports or off highways.

It is said that a naturalist named James Wolverton named the tree in 1879 after American General William Tecumseh Sherman. Wolverton had served under Sherman in the Civil War. Its slightly smaller companion tree nearby is named General Grant.

Magnificent Trees of Scripture

In the Garden of Eden, God planted the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, which didn’t work out too well for old Adam and Eve, as we know.

God soon had to restrict access to those trees much as the National Park Service had to do for the misbehaved descendants of our first parents—and for the same reason!

But trees are also symbols of hope. In the very last chapter of the Bible, the Book of Revelation seems to come to a resolution of the human/tree dilemma:

On either side of the river grew the tree of life that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month; the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations. (Rev 22:1-2)

Amazing grace. At the end, the two trees became one glorious tree bursting with life, fruit, and medicine. All evil has passed away. Only knowledge of God will be needed then.

Think of the amazing gifts that are trees! Longevity. Vitality. Food. Healing. Beauty. Homes for wildlife. Oxygen!

And their most beautiful gestures may just be the ancient fingers they constantly point to the sky directing our gaze to our final home.

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Photo Credits: Feature image: Looking up (Tall-Slim Tees); CA Location Map (James R. Griffin & William B. Critchfield); Man next to Hyperion (MD Vaden); Hyperion top (Source); GS full tree (Tuxyso); GS Base with woman in red (Nightryder84); GS trail with railings (Domenico Convertini); Comparison chart (by Peter Darcy).