29/07/2021
Of all the surprising facts about trees, it's perhaps their staggering height that inspires the most awe and wonder. The towering great-granddaddy of them all is a redwood species called Hyperion – which is a massive 116 meters high. That’s 20 meters taller than Big Ben!
This coastal redwood is so tall that its top can’t even be seen from the ground. Located in a secret spot in Redwood National Park, California, this is one species that has no actual growth ceiling. Yes, like the Duracell bunny, redwoods just keep on going and going.
In fact, they’ll only stop growing when their highest leaves start dying of thirst. That happens when the atmospheric pressure at such a high altitude stops them from moving nutrients and water from the roots all the way up to the leaves. Something to think about next time your ears pop!"