Very large trees …….
by Lewis, 8 March, 2013, 2 comments
‘Who or what are Hyperion, Helios and Icarus ?’ one might ask. Well, casting aside references to classical mythology, Hyperion, Helios and Icarus are trees. In fact, they are very large trees. Hyperion is the tallest known tree. It is a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that is 379 feet tall, probably 700 to 800 years old - growing in Northern California. Helios and Icarus are the second and third tallest trees. General Sherman, a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is said to be the largest tree on Earth by volume.
So are these facts collected just for entry in the Guiness Book of Records ? Well no, they are also of great interest to the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. This organisation has been collecting samples from dozens of America’s oldest and largest redwoods and sequoias.
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