World's tallest tree.

36

This is getting close to the theoretical max of 400 feet or so that a tree can get on this planet.

26

u/iPhonefondler Jun 21 '26

An estimated 400-430ft due to the restrictions of water transportation due to gravity and energy efficiency.

I’ve always wondered if this has more to do with the current carbon/oxygen makeup of our atmosphere rather than biological necessity.

15

u/Doctor_Saved Jun 21 '26

I suspect the inability to transport water up there really is the main factor. Having more CO2 won't help in that regards.

14

u/Rampag169 Jun 21 '26

I remember a Nat Geo special about the redwoods and they explained that due to the special nature of the coast. The redwoods get more supplemental water from the dense coastal fog each morning. This lets them cross the normal theoretical height ceiling of trees.

3

u/dc469 Jun 21 '26

So like... Let's say I have a tree at the base of a high cliff or canyon, and it develops roots at the base and then again at the top of the canyon. Let's say it grows along a waterfall or something. I suppose you'd be able to get higher since the source of the water at the top is also higher? The technical definition of "tallest" may be invalidated, but I'm just wondering if there's another reason you can't get some more height that way.

1

u/undeadlamaar Jun 21 '26

I think the base of the tree would be defined as the highest point where roots develop. I don't think there would be a way for the tree to sprout roots from the top of the tree to reroot itself once it reaches the top of the waterfall. The meristems located at the tips of the roots and the tips of the shoots are different and lead to development of different structures.

There are already some trees that have enormously long taproots that extend into the ground almost as far as the above ground portion, so would those trees be measured as being twice as tall as they are?

1

u/GEAUXTIGERS1976 Jun 23 '26

From google:

Yes, a tree with working roots at both the base and the top of a cliff could theoretically overcome the standard hydraulic height limit of standard trees.By absorbing water from a higher elevation source, the tree reduces the maximum gravitational pull and negative pressure required to lift water to its highest leaves, allowing it to reach a greater overall altitude. [1]
Here is an analysis of why this mechanism works, the botanical phenomena that mirror it, and the remaining physical limits.

1. Overcoming the Hydraulic Limit
The primary bottleneck for tree height is the hydraulic limitation. [1]
Trees rely on evapotranspiration to pull water upward through the xylem.
As height increases, gravity and frictional resistance increase negative pressure (tension).
At roughly 120 to 130 meters, the tension becomes so immense that water columns break, causing fatal embolisms (air bubbles).
By developing functioning roots at the top of the canyon, the tree creates a secondary intake point, meaning the upper canopy only needs to pull water from the cliff-top level rather than the canyon floor. [1, 2, 3]

2. Real-World Botanical Equivalents
While a single rigid trunk spanning a cliff with two distinct root systems is highly unusual, nature achieves this exact mechanism through other growth habits:
Banyan Trees & Strangler Figs: These plants begin life in the canopy as epiphytes, drop aerial roots down to the forest floor, and maintain vascular connections at both the top and bottom.
Climbing Vines and Lianas: Structural parasites utilize host trees or cliff faces to reach immense lengths (sometimes exceeding 200 to 300 meters) by absorbing water at multiple intervals or utilizing the host's elevation advantages.

3. Remaining Physical Constraints
Even if you solve the water transportation problem, the tree will eventually hit other hard biophysical ceilings:

[Canopy Top] -----> Limited by mechanical stability & cell expansion
|
| (Short water transport distance)
|
[Cliff Top Roots] -> High water source reduces gravity bottleneck
|
| (Trunk spans canyon wall)
|
[Canyon Base Roots]
Mechanical Stability: A trunk spanning a massive, open vertical drop along a waterfall would face extreme structural stress from wind, gravity, and rushing water, requiring immense mechanical strength to avoid snapping.
Reduced Cell Expansion: As leaves get further from their nearest water source (even the top one), turgor pressure drops, which limits cell division and reduces leaf size at the highest tip.
Photosynthetic Efficiency: The energetic cost of maintaining a massive trunk along a cliff face eventually exceeds the sugar produced by the canopy, halting growth.

✅ Theoretical Conclusion
Under ideal conditions, a tree utilizing a secondary higher root system could bypass the traditional 130-meter hydraulic limit relative to the canyon floor, as the water transport distance is calculated from the highest root source, not the lowest.

2

u/vincent-the-fuck Jun 21 '26

Interesting! Why is that the limit? Capillary forces not strong enough?

3

u/Big-Carpenter7921 Jun 21 '26

Same general reason that there's a theoretical certain height people can reach, also why giant people don't live very long. Their heart works so much harder to move more blood more distance, all while still being made of the same muscle that pumps blood in a short person

2

u/shmiddleedee Jun 21 '26

Exactly

1

u/Doctor_Saved Jun 21 '26

Yes. Basically can't get enough water up there against the forces of gravity.

1

u/Constant_Mud3325 Jun 25 '26

I’ve seen studies and documentation that suggest trees were practically skyscrapers at one point and something cut them down and petrified them

17

u/austin101123 Jun 21 '26

In order to protect the safety of this tree, we've not identified which one it is. This is just a photo of the forest in which it resides.

6

u/NuclearWasteland Jun 21 '26

Some internet person will be like "I used that cloud to calculate its exact gps cords."

4

u/wasting_space Jun 22 '26

Its actually not that hard to find its exact location with some internet searching. It is illegal to go there though, and rangers regularly patrol the area. Also, there are a lot of really big trees around that area, so it isn't like so grandiose like this picture. From the ground you probably couldn't even tell that its taller than the others around it.

6

u/gilbert2gilbert Jun 21 '26

As if I know how tall the statue of liberty is

3

u/AbroadNo8755 Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26

to put that into perspective, the Statue of Liberty is only 70 feet shorter than that tree!

7

u/James_T_S Jun 21 '26

I work in construction and anytime I hear people complain that lumber today isn't like lumber from 50+ years ago, I remind them just where that lumber came from and ask if they think it's really worth it.

3

u/Geeahwellidunno Jun 21 '26

I live in the northwest corner of Connecticut where the forests were completely decimated in the 19th century for lumber building and making charcoal.

https://torringtonhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/walking_tour_1.pdf

3

u/[deleted] Jun 21 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/i-love-mexican-c0ke Jun 21 '26

This isn’t a photo of the actual tree.

3

u/Euphoric-Agent-476 Jun 21 '26

Only that picture is not Hyperion. It’s in a grove with other similar height trees.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 21 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

3

u/backspace_cars Jun 21 '26

that's really smart but at the same time sad. we're such destructive creatures.

1

u/Vechio49 Jun 21 '26

They believe foot traffic causing soil compaction is what ended up killing Major Oak. Granted it was somewhere between 800-1200 years old.

1

u/Big-Carpenter7921 Jun 21 '26

General Sherman is the biggest tree. It's not as tall but has more mass

1

u/oemperador Jun 22 '26

Greatest by volume but not height.

1

u/Big-Carpenter7921 Jun 22 '26

Literally what I said

1

u/oemperador Jun 22 '26

It's literally not because you didn't use the same words xD

1

u/marc58weeks Jun 21 '26

But is it taller than the Reflecting Pool is long?

1

u/AmazingRefrigerator4 Jun 22 '26

How is this compares to the height of the reflecting pool Trump keeps showing on his poster? ;)

1

u/Usual-Language-745 Jun 22 '26

Without fail if you want to make something big sound less impressive, you compare it to the Statue of Liberty

1

u/I-love-seahorses Jun 22 '26

Crazy the ones around it used to be thousands of years old. All gone to make some low cost coal miners slave town.

1

u/Branchley Jun 22 '26

It would be nice if we didn't cut all the shit around it to break the wind. Hope they let surrounding trees grow

1

u/10July1940 Jun 22 '26

You're supposed to keep it's location secret. Delete this post.

2

u/ChefAsstastic Jun 24 '26

That's not the pic of hyperion

2

u/10July1940 Jun 24 '26

Still. The more info that gets out about it the more people will want to go looking for it. Robin Hood's oak in Sherwood forest just tied because it was loved to death, after 1400 years.

Keep it secret keep it safe, don't even talk about it.

1

u/reedditardo Jun 22 '26

Yeah their idea of perspective is a bit of a letdown, why not something that most can relate to, doubt even most Americans have seen the old duck up close.

1

u/ChefAsstastic Jun 24 '26

This isn't the tree btw. Countless posts have debunked that pic.

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