Trees have towered over the Earth long before the dawn of man, holding a special significance in our culture and rooted in the foundations of many religions. The Buddha found enlightenment under the branches of a Bodhi tree while the people of Kenya belied the Kayas grove to be a sacred place where souls descend into the afterlife. Native Americans carved trunks to create totem poles, and the Garden of Eden held the Tree of Life.
In today’s society, many trees and forests are under attack due to deforestation, cattle ranchers, urban development and cash crop farming. It is of grave importance that we increase our knowledge and preserve the beauty of these trees.
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1. Baobab
These giants, hailing from Africa and Australia, are perhaps best known for their gargantuan trunks which are used to collect and store water during seasonal droughts. On occasion, the tree is referred to as being upside-down as it resembles roots sticking out during winter. The fruit, often referred to as Crème of Tartar, is rich in vitamin C and is widely sought by baboons, monkeys and elephants.
Fun Fact: 'Big Baobab' of South Africa has a circumference of 47 meters and there’s a bar large enough to fit 60 people inside the trunk.
2. Bristlecone Pine
These trees are the oldest on the planet, reaching up to 5,000 years of age! Bristlecone Pines have mastered surviving in the harshest conditions, exposed to freezing temperatures, strong winds, and the sun exposure. The trees obtain their great age due to their incredibly slow growth patterns, and the roots adaptation to funneling water into individual parts of the trunk.
Fun Fact: The oldest tree on Earth’s exact location is kept secret from the public for protection, but it is said to be within the forests of Nevada inside Great Basin National Park.
3. Umbrella Tree
Acacia Tortilis, commonly known as an Umbrella Tree can be found on the plains of Africa. The branches are protected with lines of straight and hooked thorns to deter animals from its canopy and provide birds with a guarded nest. These trees are extremely drought resistant and well adapted to the summer heat.
Fun Fact: The gum from this tree is edible and is often referred to as ‘the poor man’s gum’
4. Giant Sequoia:
They hold the record for being the largest living species in the world, and for good reason. The trunk of a giant Sequoia is a red-brown coloring with incredibly thick bark, and you won’t see any branches until about halfway up the tree. The species is now only known to parts of California, falling mostly under the protection of the National Parks Service. Wawona (pictured above) is the second most iconic tree in the Sequoia National Park and was so wide you could drive a car through it. Unfortunately, due to harsh winter winds in 1968 and 1969 the tree collapsed.
Fun Fact: General Sherman, a giant Sequoia living in the Sequoia National Park, stands as the largest tree on Earth! This single tree is 275 feet tall, has a circumference of 102 feet, and weighs in at 2.7 million (that’s right, million) pounds!
5. Coastal Redwoods
Similar to the Giant Sequoia, the Coastal Redwoods are known for being the tallest living organisms on this planet. The tannic acid provides a deterrent to insect infestations and diseases, while the thick bark protects against fires and harsh winters, allowing the trees to reach their magnificent height. The largest remaining trees can be found in the Rockefeller Forest, inside the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. The tallest tree on Earth’s name is Hyperion, and it towers over the others at a height of 379.1 feet.
Fun Fact: Due to the unbelievable height and extraterrestrial quality of these trees, scenes from Star Wars Episode Six: Return of the Jedi were filmed in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.
6. Saguaro Cactus
Though not technically a tree, the Saguaro Cactus is the tallest cacti species in the United States, reaching heights of 40 feet. The cacti are an iconic symbol of the west and are found only in the Sonoran Desert of the U.S. and Mexico. When it rains, the plant's flesh absorbs water and expands to retain it during long droughts. The cactus' average age is around 150-175, but some can reach 200 years old!
Fun Fact: These cacti explode when struck by lightning!
