Nature · 2
Which tree species is considered the world's most massive single living organism by total volume, found only in California's Sierra Nevada?
Answer
The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum)
The giant sequoia holds the record for the largest single living organism on Earth by volume. General Sherman, a giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park, has a trunk volume of approximately 1,487 cubic metres (52,500 cubic feet), making it the most massive known individual tree. Giant sequoias are endemic to a narrow band of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.
💡 Did you know?
The General Sherman giant sequoia weighs an estimated 1.4 million kilograms — heavier than 200 African elephants — yet it still grows, adding enough wood each year to produce a full-sized tree.
Other options people guess
- The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
- The bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva)
- The Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum)
Topics
- trees
- california
- records
- plants
- forests
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