The Tallest Trees on Earth

演化之聲
Mar 13
2 min read

Updated: Apr 10

In Redwood National Park in California, USA, there grows a species of conifer known as the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest tree species on Earth. Among them stands a remarkable individual known as Hyperion, the tallest of all known redwoods. Its height reaches approximately 116 meters, surpassing even the Statue of Liberty when the pedestal is included. The tree is estimated to be around 600 to 800 years old.

Redwoods belong to the cypress family (Cupressaceae). They are monoecious, meaning that male and female reproductive structures occur on the same tree. These trees are distributed along the forests of the western coast of the United States. Their needle-like leaves remain green throughout the year, and their female cones are relatively small, typically measuring about 1.2 to 3.5 centimeters in length. Some individuals of this species can live for more than 2,200 years.

Hyperion（Courtesy of Diane Cook and Len Jenshel）

Over the course of evolution, redwoods have developed a certain degree of resistance to forest fires. Their thick outer bark provides strong protection against flames. Natural forest fires can even promote the growth of redwoods, as fires remove competing plant species and create open ground where redwood seeds can germinate more easily. In this sense, redwoods can be considered a tree lineage shaped by fire, and natural forest fires themselves function as an important component of ecological balance.

Before the Quaternary period, members of the genus Sequoia were distributed widely across Asia, Europe, and North America. Over time, however, their habitats gradually became restricted to the present-day forests of the western United States. This region receives seasonal rainfall that can reach as much as 2,500 millimeters annually, creating forests that remain moist and frequently enveloped in fog. Such conditions help sustain extremely tall trees. As plants grow taller, transporting water from the roots to the uppermost leaves becomes increasingly difficult. Redwoods partially compensate for this challenge by capturing moisture directly from the fog through their leaves.

Today, the coast redwood is listed as an endangered species by the IUCN. Because excessive foot traffic from visitors once damaged the surrounding environment of Hyperion, park authorities have established restricted areas around the tree. Its precise location is no longer publicly disclosed in order to ensure that Hyperion will not be harmed by human activity.