General Sherman Tree

General Sherman tree (General Sherman) is located in the National park "Sequoia" in the US, in the Sierra Nevada (Sierra Nevada, California).
This tree is still the largest living thing on the planet.

In the nineteenth century the area where the tree grows the famous researcher John Muir (John Muir), called the "giant forest" when obnaruzhml giant Sequoia. The name of this part of the park, "Giant Forest" continues to this day. Many tourists tree General Sherman, impresses with its size, describe it as a red-orange "stone", the top of which you can not see. The tourists specially come to the park to see the General Sherman tree, named in honor of Civil War hero General William Sherman (William Sherman), and take pictures. Near Sequoia they seem so fragile and malenkimi.

For a long time it was thought that General Sherman tree over three thousand years, but recent studies have determined its exact age - this is exactly two thousand years. So, it is not the oldest tree in the world. The oldest tree in the world, a special kind of Californian pine was 4484, when it was cut down in 1965. Sequoia was also cut, vozras which reaches about 3,000 years. It is believed that in the world there are still 5000th trees.
Winter of 2006, General Sherman tree deprived of its crown fell off the biggest branch of a tree, which had a diameter of about two meters, and length - about 30 metrov.

When the branches fell on the ground were destroyed fencing around the tree and the road leading to it. Even after that General Sherman tree has not lost its status as the largest tree on the planet. By the General Sherman tree is a special track, and even people with disabilities can see this miracle. At the end of the track are laid bricks that show to reach the roots of the place dereva.

Each year, the diameter of the trunk grows giginta nearly 1, 5 cm. The General Sherman tree is still growing and, according to the Web site of the National Park of California, adds wood annually, which is enough to five or six bedroom house. Adult trees reach a height of up to 100 meters with a trunk diameter of 10-12 m. The oldest currently giant sequoia has an age of 3200 years, established the annual rings.

See also: In Hong Kong, the trees grow out of the walls. Giant store fallen timber. Scientists invented the liquid timber. The highest wooden building in the world. Why does the log does not sink?

Source: mirfactov.com/