Sequoias rank among the tallest trees on Earth, rising well above the surrounding forest canopy.

The longer version

Height in these trees is a contest against gravity and water. Reaching the light above a crowded forest brings a big advantage, but pulling water up hundreds of metres requires a continuous column inside the trunk, held together by the attraction between water molecules.

The trees manage it with thick, tapered trunks and wood that resists decay and fire. Fog supplies moisture in dry months, and the crown can take up water directly under some conditions. Their great bulk also means old individuals hold an enormous amount of carbon in their wood. Young trees of the same species grow far faster than old ones, which slow nearly to a stop.

Where this entry sits

Plants and Trees gathers ordinary and surprising details about how green things live, from the tallest forest giants down to the moss on a garden wall. Expect notes on flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fungi, and the quiet tricks plants use to spread and survive. The full list sits on the Plants and Trees page, where every entry is listed in order.