The Record-Holding Extreme Trees Of The World
The Oldest Tree Ever
The oldest tree that ever lived was Prometheus, a member of the Pinus longaeva or bristlecone pine species. The tree grew on Mt. Wheeler in Nevada, US. The tree was found to have 4,867 rings but since it was growing in an extremely harsh environment, its actual age was believed to be 5,200 years old. Unfortunately, the tree was cut down in 1963.
The Oldest Living Tree
The oldest living tree is a member of the species Pinus longaeva whose common name is the Great Basin bristlecone pine. The tree is 5066 years old and the world’s oldest living non-clonal organism. Most other trees of this species are also long living in nature.
The Largest Living Tree
General Sherman is the largest living tree in the world in terms of volume. The tree grows in the Sequoia National Park in the US. The tree is a member of Sequoiadendron giganteum or the giant sequoia species. The tree is 271 ft tall and has a trunk volume of 52,508 cubic ft. According to estimates, the tree has timber equivalent to 630,096 board feet that can be used to make as many as 5 billion matches. The weight of “General Sherman” is estimated to be 1,814 tonnes. The age of the tree is about 2,100 years.
The Tallest Living Tree
The “Hyperion” located in the Redwood National Park of the US is the tallest living tree in the world. The tree is 379.1 ft tall, as measured in September 2006. The tree is a member of the Sequoia sempervirens species. It was discovered on August 25, 2006, by Michael Taylor and Chris Atkins.
The Stoutest Tree In The World
The title of the “Stoutest tree in the world” goes to The Tree of Tule which is a tree located in Santa María del Tule, a town in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. The tree is a member of the Taxodium mucronatum, commonly known as the Montezuma cypress. As of 2005, the trunk of the tree measured 137.8 ft. However, since the trunk is heavily buttressed, the diameter reading is actually higher.
The Tree With The Largest Crown
The crown of a tree refers to the spread of the limbs of the tree from the main trunk. Data on this parameter is lacking as the spread of the tree crown is not measured as frequently as the tree girth or tree height. However, as per records, the title of the “Tree with the largest crown” goes to the "Thimmamma Marrimanu” which is a member of the banyan tree in Anantapur, located just outside of Kadiri, Andhra Pradesh, India. Its canopy covers 19,107 m2 (4.721 acres), and it was recorded as the largest tree specimen in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records. The tree diameter is 590 feet.
The Deepest Tree In The World
The tree with the deepest roots is a fig tree that grows in the Echo Caves of South Africa that is located near the town of Ohrigstad in the country’s Limpopo province. The tree needs a lot of water so the fruit-bearing part of the tree on the earth’s surface survives and grows deep roots in search of water. The tree has roots going 400 ft deep into the soil after 70 years of growth pumping 25 liters of water a day.
The Highest Elevation Growing Tree In The World
The Polylepis tomentella can be regarded as the highest growing tree species in the world. The tree grows at elevations between 4,000 and 5,200 m in the central Andean Altiplano, a semi-arid highland area in South America. These trees are also long-living and can reach more than 700 years in age.
The Fastest Growing Tree In The World
The Paulownia tomentosa, commonly known as the foxglove tree, is the fastest growing species of tree in the world. The tree can grow taller by 30 cm in 3 weeks and within the first year, the tree can grow as tall as 6 m. The Paulownia tomentosa is a native of West and central China but now also grows in the US. It also produces large quantities of oxygen, nearly 3 to 4 times more than other known tree species.
The Newest Tree Species
The Tahina spectabilis, commonly referred to as the Tahina palm tree, is a tree species that was very recently discovered and classified. In 2006, a family picnicking in a remote hilly area in Madagascar discovered the tree. It was officially named and classified in 2008. It is quite surprising that the tree remained undiscovered so far as it has a huge size and a unique suicidal nature. Its flowers take decades to bloom but when it does so, the fruits produced consume so much of the plant nutrients that the tree collapses and dies.
The Most Dangerous Tree In The World
The Hippomane mancinella species, commonly known as the manchineel tree, is the world’s most dangerous tree. The tree grows in the Caribbean region and in the Everglades of Florida. The sap exuded from tree’s trunk is so poisonous that even standing under the tree at times of rainfall can cause blistering of the skin when rain soaked sap drops on the skin of a person. If the sap touches the eye, it can lead to blindness. Also, if someone accidentally or unknowingly takes a bite of the small, apple-like fruit of the manchineel tree, it will immediately trigger severe pain and blistering and might even prove to be fatal. Even the burning of such trees emanates smoke which can blind the eye.
