Probably, there is no such place on our planet where there would be no gigantic tree. Mother Nature has always been rich in miracles. And what is not in her bins! It happens that such a miracle opens up that you can’t even believe your eyes. You start to feel like a little kid looking into grandma's treasured old chest for the first time.
So what is it, the largest tree on Earth? Perhaps there is no exact answer to this question. Large tree - it can be the tallest or the widest. Under this definition, several types of trees on the globe can be attributed. Let's take a look at some of them.
Giant Sequoia is the last of the cypress genus. It is also called mammoth tree, giant sequoia, wellingtonia or washingtonia. The last two names are derived from celebrity names. In America, the largest tree is named after the first president, and in England - in honor of the Duke of Wellington, the hero of the Battle of Waterloo. And it is called mammoth, as it has gigantic branches hanging down like mammoth tusks.
This late Cretaceous and Tertiary species grew throughout the northern hemisphere. And today, no more than 30 groves have been preserved, whichlocated in California, in the west of the Sierra Nevada. The largest of the sequoiadendrons have their own names: "Three Sisters", "Father of the Forests", "Thick Tree", "General Grant", "Pioneer's Hut", "General Sherman" and so on. All of them are listed in a special register.
The mammoth tree grows slowly, can tolerate frosts of 25˚C, but only if it is a short-term cold snap. Mature trees grow up to 100 meters in height, and reach up to 12 meters in diameter. Their bark is red-brown in color with large cracks. The needles are also rough, have a gray-green color. It grows small egg-shaped cones that ripen only at the end of the second year.
Baobab - Africa's largest tree
It grows up to 30 meters in height and more than 10 meters in width. It is also called a sponge tree, since an adult plant is able to accumulate about 100 thousand liters of water. There is a beautiful African legend: at first the creator placed the baobab on the banks of the Congo River, but the tree did not like the dampness. Then he was transferred to the slope of the Lunar Mountains, only there he was uncomfortable. The angry creator pulled out the baobab and threw it on the dry land of Africa. Since then, the largest tree has been growing with its roots up. And indeed, the branches of the baobab are very similar to the roots.
The sponge tree blooms with large white flowers (up to 20 cm), pollinated by bats. The fruits are edible, and the roasted seeds can be used in place of coffee. The fruit has rich pulpvitamins B and C, it tastes like ginger. And if you dry it, grind it, and then dilute it in water, you get a soft drink, something like lemonade. Therefore, the baobab is also called the lemonade tree.
Tis. It cannot be said that this is the largest tree, but it is very remarkable. Its age can reach 3 thousand years. The needles of the tree contain poisonous substances, and when it falls, all the plants under it die. Thus, the yew provides itself with food. It has a very picturesque view in autumn, when its dark crowns seem to be decorated with bright red berries. By the way, despite the fact that the needles are poisonous, the berries of the yew are edible. If you happen to get to the yew alley, then you will never meet such fabulous places again. You will no doubt enter the dense forest of magical heroes.
