Giant Sequoia; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park Over time fires may burn the heartwood of the tree, but as long as the living layers just under the bark, which transport water and nutrients, are there, the tree can keep on living.

http://suisekiart.com/2008/07/22/the-biggest-trees-on-earth/

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jtroth > General Sherman tree; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

The main attraction for visitors to the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are the Giant Sequoia. These trees grow in a narrow altitude band between 5000 and 7500 feet (1524 - 2286 m). The biggest ones are the largest trees on earth, and are among the oldest.

This is the biggest tree in the world. It is 275 feet tall (84 m), and has a trunk volume of 52972 cubic feet(1500 cubic meters). Every year it grows a millimeter all around, which means that each year it adds enough wood to make an entire 60-foot tall (18.3 m) ordinary tree.

jtroth > General Sherman Tree; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

This tree started life about 2500 years ago at the time of the Persian Empire. If you look closely behind and to the right of the tree, you will see a very small person.

jtroth > Giant Sequoia; North Grove, Kings Canyon National Park;

The Giant Sequoia depend upon fire to live. They like to have plenty of sunlight, water, and mineral-rich soil to grow. Frequent fires keep out competing trees and plants while adding easily digestible minerals to the soil.

The heat of a forest fire opens up the sequoia seeds, which then fall to germinate on hospitable soil.

jtroth > Giant Sequoia; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Over time fires may burn the heartwood of the tree, but as long as the living layers just under the bark, which transport water and nutrients, are there, the tree can keep on living.

jtroth > General Grant Tree; General Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park

The grove that includes the General Grant tree is in Kings Canyon National Park. This tree has the widest base known with a diameter of 40.3 feet (12.28 meters). It is about 1500-2000 years old.

The General Grant tree has been burned many times, but continues to thrive. The forest will naturally burn every 10 years or so. The bark, which can be as much as 3 feet thick near the base, helps protect the tree from these fires.

jtroth > General Grant Tree; General Grants Grove, Kings Canyon National Park

The General Grant tree, at 269 feet, is the 2nd tallest sequoia (after the General Sherman tree). In a monarch tree such as this, the lowest branch might be as much as 160 feet up.

jtroth > Giant Sequoia; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Fires and lichen working on an old sequoia create natural sculpture.

jtroth > Giant Sequoia; North Grove Trail, Kings Canyon National Park;

This is the deep world of wabi-sabi. The patterns made by time and hardship in the trunk give it the appearance of weathered stone.

jtroth > Family Group, merged base; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

This is three trees that have grown together to form a single trunk at the base. The picture shows well the beautiful cinnamon colored bark of the old sequoias.

Giant Sequoia; Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park

Over time fires may burn the heartwood of the tree, but as long as the living layers just under the bark, which transport water and nutrients, are there, the tree can keep on living.

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Keywords: sequoia national park giant forest giant sequoia

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