Dendrology Series
WSFNR13-2
January 2013
Tallest, Biggest,
& Oldest Trees
by Dr. Kim D. Coder, Professor of Tree 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 definitions in North America. For example, 20 percent of all definitions specifically state a tree is a plant.
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 descriptors are represented.
At its most basic level, defining a tree is not species based, but is a structural definition. A tree is
represented by a type of plant architecture recognizable by non-technical people. The most basic concepts for defining a tree are -- a large, tall, woody, perennial plant with a single, unbranched, erect, selfsupporting 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 Jac
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 measured 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 cypress
and the giant sequoia 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, Pinus longaeva 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
descriptor
percent
PLANT
WOODY
SINGLE STEM
TALL / HEIGHT
20%
16
14
13
BRANCHED
PERENNIAL
GIRTH / DIAMETER
9
8
7
ELEVATED CROWN
DISTINCT CROWN
SELF-SUPPORTING
4
3
3
LOWER STEM
WITHOUT BRANCHES
ERECT STEM
2
1
Figure 1:
Dr. Kim D. Coder,
cumulative
percent
63%
87%
97%
100%
Relative frequency of descriptors defining a tree.
(155 descriptors in 45 definitions)
Warnell School,
University of Georgia
3
#
height
scientific name
1
2
2
379 ft
328 ft
328 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Eucalyptus regnans
redwood
Douglas-fir
swamp gum / mt. ash
3
4
5
318 ft
314 ft
297 ft
Picea sitchensis
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Eucalyptus globulus
sitka spruce
giant sequoia
Tasmanian blue gum
6
7
8
292 ft
290 ft
288 ft
Eucalyptus viminalis
Shorea faguetiana
Eucalyptus delegatensis
manna gum
yellow meranti
alpine ashe
9
10
11
236 ft
211 ft
207 ft
Eucalyptus diversicolor
Abies grandis
Pinus strobus
karri
grand fir
white pine
12
13
14
204 ft
177 ft
174 ft
Picea abies
Eucalyptus grandis
Thuja plicata
Norway spruce
flooded gum
Western redcedar
(tallest angiosperm)
(tallest tree in Eastern US)
common name
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
2
3
379 ft
374 ft
371 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
Sequoia sempervirens
Sequoia sempervirens
redwood
redwood
redwood
Hyperion, CA, USA
Helios, CA, USA
Icarus, CA, USA
4
369 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
redwood
5
367 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
redwood
6
363 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
redwood
Stratosphere Giant,
CA, USA
Federation Giant,
CA, USA
Deadalus, CA, USA
7
7
8
328 ft
328 ft
318 ft
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Eucalyptus regnans
Picea sitchensis
Douglas-fir
swamp gum
sitka spruce
8
318 ft
Eucalyptus regnans
swamp gum
9
10
314 ft
308 ft
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sequoia sempervirens
giant sequoia
CA, USA
redwood
Del Norte Titan,
CA, USA
Doerner Fir, CA, USA
Centurion, Tas, AUS
Prairie Creek Spruce,
CA, USA
Icarus Dream,
Tas, AUS
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
2
3
49.2 ft
30.8 ft
29.0 ft
Adansonia digitate
Taxodium mucronatum
Sequoiadendron giganteum
baobab tree
Montezuma cypress
giant sequoia
4
5
6
25.9 ft
22.0 ft
21.4 ft
Sequoia sempervirens
Eucalyptus obliqua
Eucalyptus regnans
redwood
Australian oak
swamp gum /
mountain ash
7
8
8
19.6 ft
17.7 ft
17.7 ft
Thuja plicata
Picea sitchensis
Dracaena draco
9
17.5 ft
Agathis australis
Western redcedar
sitka spruce
Canary Island
dragontree
kauri
10
11
12
16.9 ft
16.4 ft
14.8 ft
Cryptomeria japonica
Fitzroya cupressoides
Quercus robur
sugi
alerce
pedunculate oak
13
14
15
13.9 ft
13.6 ft
13.6 ft
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Quercus petraea
Taxus baccata
Douglas-fir
sessil oak
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
2
3
4
5
52,508
42,500
25,999
17,200
17,650
ft3
ft3
ft3
ft3
ft3
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Sequoia sempervirens
Taxodium mucronatum
Agathis australis
Thuja plicata
giant sequoia
redwood
Montezuma cypress
kauri
Western redcedar
6
7
8
9
9
10
13,000
12,714
12,320
11,920
11,920
10,100
ft3
ft3
ft3
ft3
ft3
ft3
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus regnans
Pseudotsuga menziesii
Picea sitchensis
Eucalyptus obliqua
Eucalyptus delegatensis
Tasmanian blue gum
swamp gum / mt. ash
Douglas-fir
sitka spruce
Australian oak
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
2
3
4,862 yrs
3,622 yrs
3,500 yrs
Pinus longaeva
Fitzroya cupressoides
Taxus baccata
bristlecone pine
alerce
European yew
4
5
6
3,266 yrs
3,012 yrs
2,675 yrs
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Cryptomeria japonica
Juniperus occidentalis
giant sequoia
sugi
Western juniper
7
8
9
2,612 yrs
2,500 yrs
2,435 yrs
Castanea sativa
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Pinus aristata
sweet chestnut
huon-pine
RMt. bristlecone pine
10
11
12
2,217 yrs
2,200 yrs
2,110 yrs
Ficus religiosa
Sequoia sempervirens
Pinus balfouriana
sacred fig
redwood
foxtail pine
13
14
15
2,062 yrs
1,917 yrs
1,889 yrs
Olea europaea
Larix lyalli
Juniperus scopulorum
olive
subalpine larch
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