What first came into your mind when you think about the tallest trees? By the “tallest”, some trees can grow way taller than the flats you see in the city. In case you wonder, we are going to talk about some giant heights trees today. Each tall tree species you will see all have the tallest of its kind along with a name. There are 7 tallest trees in the list below, so let’s see what are the trees that make their peers feel like dwarfs.
7Alpine Ash
Height: 40 – 50 meters (130 – 160 feet)
Trees with straight trunks tend to grow quite tall, and alpine ash makes a great example of that. If we talk about leaves, they don’t have much. But their slender trunk can bring them to a height of more than 80 meters. At the same time, the trunk of this tree has smooth white bark above with stringy bark on the lower half. Normally, alpine ash can only grow up to about 50 meters. However, the tallest of this species shoots up to 87.9 meters (288 feet) which is super tall. You can find that one in Tasmania, Southeastern Australia. Many other tall alpine ash trees are also there, and the view is quite nice with them all together.
6Sugar Pine
Height: 40 – 60 meters (130 – 195 feet)
Sugar pine is the tallest and biggest pine tree species with the longest cones among other pine trees. This species occurs in the mountains in some parts of the United States and Mexico. The sugar pines were also useful for Native Americans back in the day. As for its wood, it is odorless so people use it to pack fruit, store drugs, and store other goods. These trees have straight grain that is useful as organ pipe material.
They are the food sources and shelters for wildlife, especially black bears, chipmunks, and jays. Because of their large size, the sugar pine seeds are also big and nutritious for animals to feed on. The tallest sugar pines grow up to 83.45 meters (273.8 feet) which is the tallest living specimens. You can find them near Yosemite National Park, and they are not difficult to spot. The trees stand out so good you can see them right away.
5Yellow Meranti
Height: 60 – 90 meters (196 – 296 feet)
As one of the most durable trees, these tall yellow-brown trees can grow quite tall. As they are older, their color tends to darken so you can tell the old ones easily. Just like most of the tallest tree species, this one is also decay-resistant and insect resistant. This is also the reason why these trees are great hosts for fungi, insects, and other plant species. It is abundant in Southeast Asia, and people use their wood as general construction lumber, interior furniture, and more.
The tallest yellow meranti is in Borneo, Malaysia with a height of 100.8 meters (331 feet). It is the world’s tallest flowering plant, and the scientist team who discovered it named the tree Menara which means Tower. This tall tree stands all by itself, taller than even the canopy trees in the region. Climbing this tree was quite challenging for the team, not only the height but also the encounter with bees and wasps. One of the members of the team was stung 200 times, so be well-prepared if you to climb this tree.
4Mengaris
Height: 85 – 88 meters (281 – 289 feet)
Also goes by the name Honey Bee Tree, Mengaris is the emergent tree species that rises above the main rainforest canopy. At the same time, it is also one of the tallest tropical rainforest trees in Southeast Asia. The special thing is that they are home to Asian rock bees as you can see honeycombs hanging from their branches. One Mengaris can contain up to 100 nests or more, which is equal to more than 30,000 bees in total. Thanks to the slippery and smooth surface, those honeycombs are safe from sun bears since they cannot climb such surface.
These trees are common but not abundant since there are no forests full of them. However, you can find solitary trees standing alone in open areas instead. People value Mengaris for the honey, and these trees are also difficult to cut down so the locals don’t harm them. The local people also have a ritual harvest each year on moonless nights in February and March. The ritual is connected to an ancient Hindu myth called Hitam Manis or Dark Sweetness. So click here for more detail.
3Stringy Gum
Height: 70 – 114 meters (230 – 374 feet)
Here you are looking at the world’s tallest flowering plant, the tallest of which is 100.5 meters high (329.7 feet). These evergreen trees have straight and grey trunks, and their barks are smooth. Stringy gums grow very quickly, and they can grow as tall as 65 meters in just 50 years. While some tall trees are very tough, this species is not fire-resistant. That also means they don’t regrow after fire. This tree species is valuable for its timber, so people cut them down to build timber and woodchip. Because their timber is stringy (rough), these trees are used for flooring, furniture, general building, window frame, and more.
2Coast Douglas-fir
Height: 100 – 120 meters (330 – 390 feet)
This is the second tallest tree species in the world, and the tallest one is 99.7 meters high. While most tall trees have deep roots, coast Douglas-fir is the opposite. These trees are abundant in forests that are older than 100 years old. Thanks to their tall height, the groups of these trees are habitats for many forest birds. More than that, their seeds are food sources for seed-eating birds and terrestrial animals especially when food is scarce in winter. Not different from many other trees, coast Douglas-fir also provides the best timber for many different uses.
1Coast Redwood
Height: 115.92 meters (380.3 feet)
As the evergreen timber trees that can survive for centuries, this is the tallest tree species on Earth. Due to their long-lasting survival, coast redwoods are also among the oldest living trees. These trees are endemic to the fog belt of the coastal range from central California to Oregon in the United States. Because of their long lifespan, it takes them up to 400 years or longer to reach maturity. As it ages, its lower limbs fall away which results in a clear and columnar trunk.
The interesting thing about the coast redwood is that its bark is insect-resistant, fire-resistant, and fungus resistant. Thanks to their ability to withstand fire, many of them survived various wildfires throughout their lives. Since they are one of the most valuable timber species, people cut them down and use them in various sections. From carpentry to railroad ties and more, this species provides benefits for them all.
The tallest coast redwood is named Hyperion, with a height of 115.85 meters. As a matter of fact, it is also the world’s tallest known living tree. Since Hyperion is only around 600 years old, there is a chance that it might grow even taller. It is in Redwood National Park in California of United States, but the exact location remains a secret for protection. There, is also a home to some other tallest coast redwoods such as Helios, Icarus, National Geographic, and Orion.
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