A friend and I have been talking about big trees! My Monkey Puzzle tree isn't even in the running.
She stated that Washington has claim to three of the largest five big trees. CA owns two and OR two as well. How can this ever be? Two Red Cedars and one spruce. I believe I added a Fir - I may also be wrong! However you can add two Western Hemlock's to WA and the largest Alaskan Cedar as well. Same for the largest Noble Fir.
So in the mainland U.S!, WA nabs 9 of the 25. CA. 12, and OR. only 4. British Columbia and Alaska seem to have no big trees at all! I also question that last Oregon, Coos Bay Fir -- Living does count for something I believe! OH -- they also make room for co-champs! The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) remains the heavyweight champion and a link to the General Sherman tree explains why.
The world's biggest and most vulnerable trees – in pictures
The biggest trees in the world are dying off rapidly as roads, farms and settlements fragment forests and trees come under prolonged attack from severe droughts and new pests and diseases. Here is a selection of the world's biggest trees under threat
Oregon did hold title to the tallest fir, but strong winds felled the 302 foot giant (13 feet thick). It was near Coos Bay OR. I believe the 'Queets fir' is over fourteen and 1/2 feet thick and only a mere 221 feet high.
Like beauty queens such trees are measured on points. Diameter, height and crown spread and what they do for the judges behind the curtain.
"My, that Clatsop fir sure has more taper to her trunk!"
Madrpma -- I had hoped to say that the Madrona tree in my home town of Port Angeles might be one of the largest. Someday I will have to get its measurements. However that youngster is still a piker compared to a N. California tree that is 75 feet tall and has a girth of 24 feet. One measures them 16 inches from the ground!
Which State holds title to which largest tree? The Western dogwood still has no State Champion, and surprisingly I did not find the Madrona from Humboldt County in this listing. Nor is there a posting for the Garry Oak. Somehow I suspect Oregon and B.C. might each lay claim to one of these!
A book that goes over some of these magnificent giants is Robert Van Pelts ‘Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast.’
In its overviews of 20 species it provides color maps of each species and the location of individual trees. Measurements are given as well as beautiful photos and amazing line drawings make this a collectable book. OMG, when I purchased two of them the price for this PAPERBACK was somewhere around 25.00. I gave the brand new one to a friend for Christmas and kept one for myself. USED books on Amazon sell for 70.00 dollars and eBay doesn’t even list it.
Herbert Senft © 2005